Boot Camp Weapon Style
by Louisiana Stephenic
Summary: What happens when Fastion turns up unprapared to duty? Just some fun :D Boot Camp Weapon Style! What could be easier?
1. Chapter 1

**Here comes just something fun! Set after Blackveil and all its dealings :)  
When Fastion turns up to duty unprepared what horror comes from it? BOOT CAMP WEAPON STYLE! **

"Fastion! Fastion!" The call was accompanied by a knock on the door.

"Five more minutes." He called and pulled his pillow over his aching head.

"Fastion!" The voice insisted and a mighty shove pushed him out of his bed and onto the stone hard floor.

He growled and looked up at the giggling Brienne.

"What is so important? My head is beating harder than a drum and I feel horribly sick." He pushed himself up off the floor and sat on the edge of his bed holding his head.

"In five minutes we're on duty." She hissed.

"What?!" His head snapped up and he moaned in pain. "You should have reminded me last night and before I drunk that much."

Yesterday was Brienne's birthday and most of the Weapons had gone down to the cock and hen, dressed normally so no one knew they were Weapons, and they'd celebrated.

"I did. It was in the middle of your fourth and fifth drink. I told you tomorrow we have duty at 9 and you said let's drink to that."

Fastion frowned in concentration. Did he say that?

"Look Henry can stay on a little longer but you better be there in 5 minutes." Brienne told him then left.

Fastion mentally scolded himself for drinking so much and spending all his money, then he jumped off his bed and got changed.

He took a little too long looking for his sword but found it and ran from his room. He tried to stick to the shadows as he hurried to the King's study but he accidentally ran right into a green foot runner.

The poor girl screamed and ran away.

Fastion picked himself off the floor and rubbed his aching head. Why did he have to be hung over? He decided that he'd never drink again. It was too painful.

He took off again.

He got to the office just as the King and Jacob Kingston, the new black shield representative, emerged from it.

"Fastion_," King Zachary's mouth hung open.

"Sorry I slept a bit late." Henry walked away from his station and Fastion took his place.

"Umm, Fastion you've got cake in your hair." Zachary pointed to his own and Fastion's heart sunk.

How had he managed to miss that? He combed a hand through his hair and pulled out a pretty big piece of chocolate birthday cake.

"Fastion, are you hung over?" Jacob Kingston demanded.

Brienne sent a sympathetic look his way and Fastion sighed inwardly. Kingston had turned out to be very into protocol and anyone caught breaking it got into big trouble.

"No sir." Fastion replied.

"REALLY?" Kingston yelled in his ear.

Fastion moaned and clutched his burning head. Even King Zachary felt sorry for his friend.

"Fastion, report to Drent immediately for sword practice."

Fastion paled. "But sir, I'll probably vomit walking all the way down there."

"Then the King is lucky you won't be guarding him today." Kingston's gaze was strong and commanding.

Fastion dreaded walked down to Drent but he dreaded stay here more. He nodded, bowed to the King and walked away.

"I thought you were on duty today?" Willis asked as Fastion passed him.

"I was until Kingston caught me hung over and on duty." Fastion told him sadly.

"Ohhh, you being sent to Drent then?"

Fastion nodded.

"Glad I'm not on duty. I have a horrible headache. But last night was worth it." Willis smiled, winked and walked off towards the eating hall.

Fastion stood there, longing to go and have some breakfast but he'd be in even bigger trouble if he did.

Grudgingly he turned and walked into the sunlight that hurt his eyes, and towards the practice grounds.

When he got there he found Drent with two women dressed in green standing in front of him.

"Ahh, Fastion good of you to finally join us." Drent called out when he saw him.

Reluctantly he climbed over the fence and into the ring. The two women in green turned out to be Karigan Gl'adheon and Mara Brennyn.

Karigan had a very sorrow filled looked on her face and Mara was moaning slightly.

"How'd you know?" Fastion asked suspiciously.

"I went to wish Brenne happy birthday yesterday and I walked in in the middle of your sixth or Seventh drink. I knew you had duty this morning so it was only a matter of minutes until you came down." Drent laughed.

"Karigan and Mara are here because green rider's aren't meant to fall off their horses." The sword master glared at the riders.

"You fell off your horses? Both of you?" Fastion stated at them.

"I don't want to talk about it." Mara muttered.

"It was Mara's birthday yesterday so we were celebrating at the golden goblet because Fergal said the cock and hen was full. I spent all my money and because that place is so expensive you have to use all your money." Karigan whined.

"Now, you were all hung over and for you to never do that again there are two options. 1) you learn to hold your liquor, or 2) you learn not to drink when you have work the next day." Drent yelled.

Everyone grabbed their heads. He could yell loudly.

"What's that?" Drent asked. He was completely confused.

Fastion, Karigan and Mara turned around.

**OHHHHHHH What's walking towards them? :D :D :D **


	2. Chapter 2

**Sorry slightly shorter chapter this one :D ENJOY! **

Walking towards them was a cloud of black weapons. Anger, disgust and pain on their normally expressionless faces.

"What are yous doing here?" Fastion asked.

"Okay get this," Willis said as he climbed over the fence. "We're sitting in the dining hall eating our breakfast. Like normal Weapons. Everyone keeping their distance."

"And then Kingston comes in." Donald raged angrily while holding his head. "He yells at the top of his voice."

"And you know how loud that is." Rory adds.

"Anyway," Donald glared at Rory, "He yells 'Which of my Weapons are hung over!" He winced at the memory.

"Then walks up and down our isles and yells in each of our ears. Everyone else managed to keep an expressionless face but_," Willis sniffed sadly.

"We were sent down here." Rory summed up.

"It's not like we had duty today." Donald sighed.

"You boys have a lot to learn. You girls need to hold on harder." Drent growled.

The three new comers took their places next to Fastion, Karigan and Mara.

"Okay, as a warm up," Drent yelled,

"Can I please go?" Mara interrupted. "I've never had a training lesson with a Weapon or with you. Can I just give you twenty pushups and leave?"

"Okay,"

Everyone gasped in disbelief.

"You can leave when I say. At the end of the lesson you can give me those pushups."

"But,"

"NOW, as I was saying. Give me twenty laps of the ring." Drent shouted.

The group of six started walking.

"RUN!"

Everyone jumped and started running.

Every step made Karigan's head jar and bounce not to mention her stomach to flip. On their second lap Mara crouched over and threw up a bowl of porridge.

"Keep running Rider Brennyn." Drent shouted.

Mara muttered a bunch of colourful words and kept moving.

"I know you're all relatively new to the Weapon service." Drent called as they ran. "But if you get caught doing the wrong thing you get punished."

"This is the first time in 6 years that we've been drunk." Willis objected.

"Which reminds me. We have our secondary examinations in 10 days." Rory called.

"I know and that's why you let yourself go just once." Drent smiled cruelly.

They ran and ran. Every jolt sending pain from their head.

"Last night when I went to the cock and hen and I found something that really shocked me. I found that you guys like to sing."

The weapons groaned.

"Let's have a bit of a song while we run." He smiled.

Everyone groaned and Drent started them singing until they were yelling at the tops of their lungs. Anyone walking by stared open mouthed at the singing weapons and riders.

_The ants go marching one by one, hurrah, hurrah  
We slaughter termites just for fun, hurrah, hurrah_

_The ants go marching two by two, hurrah, hurrah  
We'll all be dead before we're through, hurrah, hurrah_

_The ants go marching three by three,  
hurrah, hurrah, hurrah, HURRAH  
We're off to face our destiny, hurrah, hurrah_

_The ants go marching four by four, hurrah, hurrah  
You'll find there is a million more, hurrah, hurrah_

They finished their twenty laps and stumbled to a stop.

"I don't think I can walk." Fastion gasped.

"I don't think I can take a step." Karigan bent over, her breaths coming out in ragged gasps.

"Who cares about walking or stepping, I can't stand." Mara dropped to the ground.

"It's come to my attention that you're all very unfit." Drent told them with a sympathetic look on his face.

"We just ran 20 laps." Rory clutched a stitch on the side of his stomach.

"If you had to chase me I'd easily get away."

"That's cos you weren't running." Mara snarled.

Drent smiled and everyone took a step back. "RUN TILL YOU BLEED!"

Everyone started moving again.

"When are we finished?" Karigan gasped.

"I don't have any lessons today," Drent frowned in thought, "I guess when I feel like letting you go. Now run run RUN!"

**Disclaimer: **I don't own the characters or the ant marching song :D that comes from the movie Ants :P  
**What else could Drent make them do that's even harder? Read the next chapter and you'll find out, I just need to write it :P **


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter 3 is here! Hope you enjoy :D **

The sun was starting its slow decent down the sky. The six runners were exhausted. So exhausted no one had a single coherent thought.

"You may all relax." Drent called out.

Everyone looked at him but didn't stop moving.

"No really, relax."

The group collapsed onto the ground.

"You all look very sad and unhappy." Drent commented. They looked at him with exhausted eyes. "Have any of you noticed how wonderful this castle and its grounds are?"

Karigan looked up at him with a blank face.

"I will give you all the pleasure of running around this castle." Drent smiled.

"We," Mara held up her hand, "we just ran 468 laps and you want us to run around the massive castle?"

"It was actually 520." Drent corrected. "And yes I'm allowing you to enjoy the run. But to make sure you look like you're doing something, each of you will grab four of these weights. Tie one around each ankle and wrist."

Nobody moved. They just stared in disbelief up at him.

"Move move MOVE!" Drent yelled and they tried to jump to their feet.

Awkwardly they crawled over to the weights, struggled to put them on and they started running.

The sun had already set but they had only managed one lap before the collapsed on the ground again at Drent's feet.

"Get up you wusses! Go back to your chambers have a bath, I don't care what you do just get out of my sight." Drent ordered.

Karigan and Mara pulled themselves to their feet and started to the Rider's wing. It took them ages to get there.

When they finally got there they went straight to the common room. It was full of riders but seeing the state they were in the moved aside.

The two collapsed on the couch.

"What have you two been up to?" Fergal asked.

The two looked at him with dead eyes and he took a hurried step backwards.

"They've been training with Drent all day." Garth laughed. "If that's what you call running."

"You try to run 520 laps around that ring with a hangover!" Mara yelled.

Everyone giggled slightly.

Drent smiled evilly as the six trainees hobbled away towards the castle. It was fun making them work hard.

Suddenly the most brilliant idea came to him and he set off towards the castle and in the direction of the captain dining hall.

He managed to catch Kingston and Mapstone both in there.

"Jacob, Lauren." He waved to the two who were on opposite sides of the hall. Reluctantly they came over to him.

"How are my riders?" Lauren asked suspiciously.

"They're having trouble walking but they have learnt their lessons." Drent smiled. "Now, I've just had the best idea."

Lauren and Jacob looked disbelieving at each other.

"What's your big idea?" Jacob asked.

"You know that it's Fastion, Rory, Donald and Willis' secondary examinations in 10 days?"

"Yeah," Jacob's face distorted into a grim expression.

"Last year when Brenne did it she took an extra week to do it because she got sick and couldn't physically continue. And she's one of our best weapons. They're going to die." Drent explained.

"What do you have in mind?"

"If I can work with them every day for one week then they'll at least be able to cope. They won't be amazing but they'll at least survive." Drent's face was full of hope.

"But they won't be able to do shifts." Jacob frowned.

"No but we'll show all those other training weapons how great we are." Drent smirked.

"Alright." Jacob nodded.

"What does this have to do with me?" Lauren asked.

"Karigan and Mara managed to keep up with the weapons. I think they'll really benefit from joining the sessions. And I think Mara has an authority problem. The amount of curses that came from her mouth was enough to threaten Karigan's record."

Lauren's face was one of pure shock. "Really?"

Drent and Jacob nodded.

"Oh, I guess that would be good." Lauren smiled. "Great idea. Let's sent word now."

The three smiled evilly and flagged down a green foot runner.

Karigan and Mara had only just started to speak again.

"520 times!" Mara was complaining.

"Two kilo weights!" Karigan was complaining.

"Rider G'ladheon, Rider Brennyn?" A green foot runner came up.

"Yes?" Karigan asked.

"I have a message from Captain Mapstone and Arms Master Drent."

Dread mirrored on the two girls' faces.

"You are to arrive at the practice grounds tomorrow at 9.30 for training with Drent. Every day for the next week." The boy's face screwed up in concentration as he tried to remember the whole message.

The girls however didn't notice it. They started complaining and ran to their rooms.

Garth thanked the boy an sent him away. All the riders felt sorry for the girls' horrible future.

**Disclaimer: **I don't own anything in this except Jacob Kingston :D The rest belong to Kristen Britain  
**And so the horror continues! :D Love writing this so the next chapter will be up on Friday or Monday :D **


	4. Chapter 4

**Here comes more HORROR from evil Drent for the poor weapons and green riders :P **

Drent stood in the practice grounds waiting for his students to arrive. It was almost 9.30 and no one had appeared. He was starting to worry that they never would.

A crowd appeared. They were walking strangely towards him. Half bent over, half limping but all in complete pain.

Drent laughed. "Get down here faster!" He yelled to them sounding annoyed.

The group tried to walk faster but it wasn't much.

Karigan winced at the anger and annoyance in Drent's voice. They would all be thrashed by him.

Mara was still half asleep and Karigan and Fastion were the only ones truly awake.

Karigan couldn't believe that she'd been forced into this horrid situation again. She moaned inwardly as she climbed into the ring.

"Okay, today after doing an easy warm up we're going to do a round robin. I'll explain it more later but basically you will pair up and fight for 2 minutes. You will count the kills you get and then move on. At the end we'll find out who has the most kills and therefore who wins." Drent started.

"I think I'm going to vomit again." Mara told him.

"Rider Brennyn give me a lap of the castle and you have to be back in four minutes." Drent shouted.

"But, I'm sorry." Mara smiled sweetly and sorrily at Drent.

"RUN!"

Mara took off at top speed.

Karigan saw Drent smile. He was evil!

"Now two laps of the ring and we'll start, after pushups."

Everyone groaned at the thought of running around the ring again. "What are you all waiting for?"

"Pair one: Karigan and Rory, Pair two: Fastion and Donald, Pair three: Mara and Willis." Drent called and they paired up. All had wooden practice swords.

"Don't worry Mara, I'll go easy on_," Willis grunted as Mara tripped him and got a kill point at the neck.

"Sorry I interrupted. What were you saying?" Mara smiled.

"I said," Willis tripped her and got a kill point on her stomach, "Hit."

Mara glared.

Fastion and Donald got into it quickly. The clashing of wooden swords loud and audible as they fought with incredible skill. Donald cried out as he felt the wood on his back.

"Hit." Fastion's voice held a smile but Donald made a face and got ready for the next fight.

Karigan and Rory had started. He was going slightly easy on her, probably not intentionally but he was. Karigan smiled inwardly, twisted and used a move Master Rendle had taught her.

Rory's face was completely shocked as Karigan scored a hit point.

"Switch!" Drent yelled and they moved on.

Mara went to Rory and got a complete thrashing. Groan after moan and cry of rage after colourful language. Rory almost laughed at the way she kept trying. But every attack was worse than the last the more angry she got.

Willis and Donald went easily. Each scoring different hit points.

Karigan faced Fastion with slight hesitation. She knew he was one of the best Black Shields but he was also a friend and that meant she had to beat him. The only problem about trying to beat him was that he wouldn't hesitate to mash her into a painful pulp.

They faced each other and she smiled to ease her worry.

Fastion moved easily and fast. Karigan dodged and fought and jumped and attacked but to no success. She knew she'd have many bruises in the morning, or within seconds.

"Swich!"

Mara almost cried as she faced Fastion. It was way too unfair that she was fighting against weapons who didn't mind hurting her.

Karigan enjoyed sparing against Donald. He was challenging but didn't almost kill her with every hit point.

Willis and Rory hardly clashed swords. They were laughing almost all the time.

"Okay, come in." Drent called and they hobbled up.

The count so far is Willis: 12, Donald: 15, Rory: 11, Mara: 2, Fastion: 19 all thanks to Karigan," Drent smiled as she rubbed her arm, "and Karigan: 12."

"You're all pretty close, except Mara, so anyone can win, except Mara. Now, another round." Drent smiled as they all slumped unhappily.

**Disclaimer: **I own nothing. Everything belongs to Kristine Britain :D  
**OHHHHHH :O looks like the pain has started :D wonder what horror Drent has in store for them later :P **


	5. Chapter 5

**Here comes chapter five. Sit down with a cup of tea while reading this, it may get cold :D you've been warned! **

"Congratulations Fastion, you've won today's round robin." Drent announced to the group of exhausted sword fighters.

"Now get out of my sight and back here tomorrow the same time." Drent turned and walked off.

The sun was only just starting to set so they had a little bit of free time and they all went towards the dining hall.

They all slumped down at the same table, all too tired to get their food.

"What was your score?" Mara asked Fastion.

"I think, I think it was 59." Fastion replied.

"36 of them were my deaths." Karigan sighed and rubbed her ear. It was their last fight in which Fastion whacked the side of her face.

"I'm too tired to eat I'm going to have a bath first." Kaeigan stood and Fastion followed and they walked out.

"Sorry about that by the way." Fastion smiled.

"Don't worry I blame Drent." Karigan growled.

Suddenly Drent, Mapstone and Kingston rounded the corner.

"Why do you blame me?" Drent asked.

"My ear is ringing." Karigan growled.

"Just wait till tomorrow then." Drent's smile was larger than normal. "We're taking a walk down to the river."

"But it's winter." Fastion frowned.

The three adults walked away all smiling evilly to themselves.

"Tomorrow's not going to be fun." Fastion sighed.

Karigan couldn't help but laugh.

"See ya." She said and they parted ways.

"What's wrong, Karigan?" Fergal asked as she walked past the common room.

"It's cold." She said unhappily.

Fergal definitely wasn't expecting that and his sarcasm was wasted. "Aren't you meant to say something about being exhausted and complain about how unfair life is?" Fergal asked.

That's what people like you do." Karigan called to him and walked into her room.

The group of terrified weapons and green riders walked towards the practice fields. They were all wearing winter cloaks for it had started to snow over the last few days.

They stood in front of Drent ready for whatever he was planning to make them do.

"Come with me." Drent smiled and started walking.

Karigan followed completely confused and worried. "Are we going to the river?" Karigan whispered to Donald.

He shrugged.

They arrived at the river. It was about six meters across and the water looked freezing. In a couple of days it would be completely frozen. A wooden plank 20cm wide stretched from one side to the other.

They stared open mouthed at Drent who'd brought the wooden practice swords with him.

"Since no one is prepared to ask I'll tell you. Two people will go out, each armed with a sword and they'll fight until one falls in." Drent told them, his facial expression one of pure innocence.

Nobody moved.

"Mara, Karigan, you first." Drent pointed at them and gestured to the plank of wood.

"Me?" Mara's voice was unnaturally high. "But I haven't said anything rude or insulting yet?"

"Get out there now." Drent growled and the two girls hurried to obey.

They each took off their great coats, grabbed a sword and walked wobbly to the middle of the river.

They turned and stared at each other. Neither moved a muscle.

"Don't just look at each other. Fight!" Drent ordered.

Mara swung at Karigan who ducked, the movement took Mara off balance and Karigan watched as she dropped her sword and waved her arms about like a windmill.

"Go on, finish her!" Drent demanded.

Karigan just watched as her friend struggled to keep her balance.

"Finish her or your both going in."

Karigan reluctantly knocked Mara on the back of her knee and the rider collapsed.

She fell face first into the water.

"AHHHHHH!" Mara screamed then let out the most and worst curses anyone had ever heard. She cursed and cursed non-stop as she paddled to the bank. She scrambled out of the water and ran to the towel Drent was holding. She immediately dropped it and hugged herself with her arms.

"What's wrong with the towel?" Karigan called out in question.

"It, it, it, it's fro, o, o, ozen t, t, too." Mara's teeth chattered.

"That's cruel Drent." Karigan told him.

"For that comment Karigan you get to face Fastion now." The arms master smiled evilly as Fastion walked towards the plank.

"But my ear is still ringing from yesterday." Karigan complained as Fastion walked, with the skill of an alley cat, to the middle of the plank.

**Diclaimer: **I own nothing at all. It all belongs to Kristine Britain  
**Karigan and Fastion face off above a freezing cold river :o Who will win? :O **


	6. Chapter 6

**Chapter six is finally here! The showdown between Karigan and Fastion. Who will win? The weapon or the Green Rider? **

Karigan faced Fastion. He stood easily on the plank of wood above the freezing waters of the river. Karigan really didn't want to fall in. She really didn't want to know what it felt like to swim in a frozen river.

She swung at Fastion and he ducked before knocking the sword out of her hand. Karigan felt her foot slip.

"Ahhhh!" She screamed before disappearing below the surface.

Karigan's head appeared again.

"I thought Mara learnt all her swear words from Karigan?" Willis whispered in question to Donald.

Suddenly Karigan let out a bunch of the worst curses imaginable. Even sailors would have been shocked. She cursed and swam back to the shore. She scrambled out, ran for the towel and threw it on the ground when she touched it.

She looked a lot like a wet rat as she stood there shaking.

"Okay, who's next?" Drent asked.

Rory was sent out. He cried out and fell into the water after an exchange of blows with Fastion.

Willis was sent down the plank next and easily was taken care of. Donald laughed like crazy as Willis tried to swim back to the bank.

"Donald you're next. Do everyone proud and knock Fastion off." Drent ordered.

But Donald had barely walked to the middle of the plank when a '_falling_' branch knocked him off. Willis' face was one of innocence as he walked slowly away from the tree.

"Are we done?" Fastion asked and started walking off the plank. His face had a tiny hint of smugness on it.

"What are you doing?" Drent asked and Fastion halted.

"Coming back." He tried.

"You haven't faced me yet." The weapons and green riders on the bank stared in disbelief as the arms master unsheathed his blade and stepped onto the plank of wood.

"Go Fastion!" Mara yelled out.

Drent attacked and the two exchanged a couple of blows before Drent hit Fastion over the head with the flat of the blade.

Fastion cried out and fell into the freezing water. Quickly he swam back to the bank.

"I don't think I've ever seen him move so fast." Willis whispered to Karigan.

"Can we, we go now?" Mara asked.

"No, today we are starting on unarmed combat." Everyone groaned at Drent's announcement. "Donald will start first against Willis. You will then proceed to wrestle until one goes in the water. The winner gets to stay out of the water." Drent smiled.

Karigan hoped she'd be against Mara. If she had to face anyone else she'd jump ship.

Willis fell to Donald, and Donald fell to Rory. Mara was then forced to face Rory and she sadly fell. Rory and Fastion pushed at each other and tried to trip the other. Rory took a dip in the water.

Again Karigan was forced to fight Fastion.

She glared hard at him and walked onto the unstable plank.

"Go!" Drent yelled.

Fastion moved with amazing reflexes. He grabbed her shoulders and attempted to knock her legs out from under her. But Karigan had watched his strategies.

She wrapped her legs around his waist and flipped over onto his back. Her hands were around his neck and she held on for dear life as he wobbled dangerously.

He found equilibrium and the two were balancing precariously.

"Do you mind letting go?" Fastion gasped.

"If I do I'll go back in the water and I really didn't want to." Karigan told him.

They both cried out in fear and shock as they tumbled into the water.

Drent had flipped the plank and sent them both in.

"Are we done now?" Karigan gasped as she pulled herself onto the bank.

"Nup, this next task is called survival of the fittest. You all get out there and the last one on the plank gets 25 hit points. Whoever wins will overtake Fastion's top position. Except Mara of course."

Mara growled at Drent's words but they all were forced to walk the plank.

They all pounced at once but the plank wobbled dangerously and everyone halted. Some were in ridiculous positions. Donald and Willis were holding hands tightly and both were leaning over different sides of the plank of wood.

Nobody moved because a slight movement of weight would send everyone into the river.

"Make a move!" Drent called from the shore and everyone's heads turned to him. Somehow they managed to stay on, only until Drent tipped the plank and they all went in. There was much cursing and dunking.

For some reason the weapons found the water less cold than the green riders who were out of it within milliseconds.

"Okay, this way." Drent walked away and the drenching wet group followed him into the forest.

In a small clearing was a bomb fire. The group sighed in happiness and crowded around it. There were warm blankets and kettles of tea and dragon droppings.

They ended up huddled around the fire all hidden behind massive blankets. At some time during the sunset an Intrigue board had been brought out and they were all playing while betting their chocolates.

Karigan usually hated Intrigue but as they all sat there playing she was having one of the best times in her life. She was constantly laughing.

**Disclaimer: **I own nothing at all. Everything belongs to Kristin Britain :P  
**Ohhhhhhh :O is it possible that Drent can think up worse punishments? I believe it is :D **


	7. Chapter 7

**Chapter seven is here! And the little something something is coming :D Nice long chapter today :P **

"There once was a girl from Corsa,  
Who rode upon a great big horsa,  
She must have been cold,  
For he was wearing no clothes."

"Willis shut up!" Karigan yelled.

He was standing up tall with his cup raised and was reciting Karigan's most embarrassing story. He was getting revenge for Karigan beating him in Intrigue and winning 2/3 of his dragon droppings.

"I wasn't naked." She protested. "I was in my night clothes and I didn't arrive at the castle."

The others laughed.

"Sure sure, Karigan! We all know how green riders arrive after being called." Rory joked.

"Hey! Not everyone arrives so dramatically." Mara objected and everyone laughed.

Slowly the jokes died down and Donald left for bed. Willis and Mara left at the same time and Rory left soon after.

Karigan and Fastion were locked in an intense Intrigue battle. Suddenly Fastion took one of her pieces and he won.

Karigan groaned. "I nearly won a couple of times though."

Fastion laughed. "You did."

"I'm going to hurt all over tomorrow." Karigan whined.

"And then Drent will make us even more sour so our sour muscles have sour muscles." Fastion smiled.

"You excited for your secondary examinations?" Karigan asked.

"Not really." Fastion's face moved into a grimace. "It's going to be so hard. Some people have died during it."

"What?!"

"The last death was last year during Brenne's." Fastion poured them each another cup of tea and handed Karigan a cup.

"Are you going to be alright?" The words were out of her mouth before she realized what she was saying.

Fastion smiled. "I'll be fine. I hope." He chuckled.

"At least I might be free of this head ache you keep on giving me." Karigan joked and they burst into laughter.

They chatted away as they walked back towards the weapons, and green rider wings.

"Good night." Karigan told him.

"See you tomorrow in Drent's hell camp." Fastion said as they parted ways.

Karigan chuckled and walked to her room.

Karigan was drenched. Mara was drenched. Rory was drenched. Donald was drenched. Fastion was drenched. Willis was drenched. Everyone was drenched but Drent.

He stood under the only bit of cover in the whole practice grounds. His mouth never stopped smiling. More than once Mara had yelled at him but his mood could not be dampened. He was having way too much fun making them all suffer.

They were being forced to run through an obstacle course. Everything was slippery and everything hurt. Eventually they'd all been through it twice and we're standing in front of Drent, all except him, in the pouring rain.

"Okay, you all did that expertly. Let's make it more difficult." Karigan didn't think it was possible for his smirk to get bigger but it did.

"Oww, that's my foot." Mara snapped.

"All our foots hurt." Rory called right back to her.

"It's feet." Fastion told him.

Rory nudged him and everyone fell over. They had been tied up like a three legged race, but all of them. From right to left it was Donald, Rory, Fastion, Karigan, Willis, and then Mara.

"Now do the course." Drent smiled evilly as they hobbled off.

Within seconds they were sent head first into the mud. Screams and curses filled the whole field. It was so comical that some people left the warmth of the castle to watch them struggle.

They fell again but Karigan and Fastion managed to stay up, until Willis sabotaged their success and they literally went face first into the mud. "I'm going to kill you Willis!" Fastion yelled.

"This isn't going to work. Every second person step with your left foot." Karigan called over the pouring rain. "On my mark. Step,"

For once no one fell. "Okay, change feet. Step."

Another successful step.

"Step, step, step." They all chanted together and they soon mastered walking but it was an obstacle course.

Climbing under the net took ages and Karigan's uniform turned completely brown. The mud even managed to dominate the black uniforms of the weapons.

They all stopped and stared at the swing rope. The way they got past that was way too complicated and would take too long to explain but it included a human ladder each with rolled ankles and one ankle that popped out of its socket.

The climbing wall gave them horrid bruises and a couple of black eyes because of elbows in the face. The swim back across the river was full of coughing and spluttering as they almost drowned.

When they reached Drent again it was five hours later.

"I didn't expect it to take that long." Drent chuckled. "Untie yourselves and we'll start the last exercise of the day."

The platform was one meter by one meter and all six of them had to fit on it.

"Okay, let's think of this logically." Donald said. "Since you girls are smallest you get in the middle."

After a little grumbling and objecting Mara and Karigan squished into the center of the platform.

Rory got on, Willis got on, Donald got on but there was no way that Fastion would fit on.

"What if you guys went in the middle and then we got on." Mara suggested.

Fastion got on, Rory fit on, Donald fit on and Willis made it. Karigan and Mara quickly jumped on.

"Hold it for ten seconds." Drent called. "1, 2, 3,"

Everyone slipped and they landed in the mud.

"Get off me!" Mara called from beneath everyone.

Once they could breathe properly again they stood looking at the platform.

"I've got it." Karigan exclaimed. "Okay you guys get on and instead of Mara and I trying to find a spot. You guys give us a piggy back."

"It might be easier if Mara carried one of us." Willis received a punch across the face from Karigan.

"Ready?" Karigan asked before jumping onto Fastion back. "I'm not crushing you?" She asked.

"You're too light to crush anyone." He replied.

"Unlike Mara." Karigan kick Willis in the back and he fell into the mud. "I'm joking!"

Mara stood on his back and he was sent face first into the mud again.

"Donald is much more of a gentleman than you Willis." Mara sniffed delicately and jumped onto Donald's back.

"Come on Willis." Rory snapped and the other weapon pulled himself out of the mud and jumped onto the platform.

"1, 2, 3, 4, 5," they all counted together, "6, 7, 8, 9, 10!"

They all looked towards Drent but he was busy reading a letter. The green foot runner who's delivered it was staring at them.

"DRENT!" They all yelled and the arms master jumped and looked up at them.

"You may come down. Gather around we need to speak about the secondary examinations." Drent called out.

"Where are you two going?" Drent called to Karigan and Mara as they went to walk away. "Come," Drent gestured to them and they joined the circle around him.

"Marcus you can go. Thank you for delivering this." Drent said to the foot runner and the boy hurried away.

"Have some tea." The kettle was passed around and they each poured themselves some tea.

"In three days you will be leaving to go to your secondary examination. I've spoken with Captain Mapstone, the King, Kingston and the leaders on Breaker Island. We have decided that, Karigan, Mara, you can go do the secondary examinations too." Drent started.

"It's completely up to you. People have died in these examinations. If you do this then once you're released from the Green Riders corps then you will only need to take the final examinations before becoming a weapon. I know this is a big decision considering you might not even want to become a black shield in future but I believe that you could do well in these examinations."

"You don't have to answer immediately and you don't have to become a black shield when you leave the Green Riders. Because of your current assignment and your participation in past events you are being allowed to participate in it. It's a huge honor, but again it's up to you. Please give your captain your answers as soon as possible. To you others, in three days you'll be leaving. Don't forget to pack appropriate things. See you all in the morning. These sessions are still going." Drent dismissed them.

Karigan and Mara walked off deep in thought.

"Do you reckon they'll say yes?" Willis asked his fellow weapons.

"I don't know but I hope so." Rory said.

"It'll be a lot harder without them." Donald agreed.

"But people have died during these examinations." Fastion stated.

"You can't possible pretend that you don't want Karigan to come." Willis said smugly.

"I do but it's dangerous." Fastion snapped.

"And they might not even say yes." Rory pointed out. By that time the two green riders had disappeared into the castle.

**Disclaimer: **Everything belongs to Kristin Britain  
**:OOOOOO What will they choose? **


	8. Chapter 8

**Sorry it's been so long but I had finished the chapter perfectly but then I stupidly deleted it and had to write it all over again :O but here it is so enjoy! Please forgive wrong spelling :) **

Karigan and Mara walked in silence. They didn't say anything yet. They walked through the castle staring at the ground and everyone stepped back and out of their way.

They were each deep in thought trying to decide what to do.

"So, what aware you going to do?" Mara asked as they entered the less populated corridors.

"I really don't know." Karigan admitted. "I would love to go and I guess I wouldn't mind becoming a weapon after I'm finished with the Green Riders but, I was meant to go back home and become a merchant."

Mara listened to her friend but she was having trouble hiding her grin. She wanted nothing more than to join the weapons on Breaker Island but she wouldn't go without Karigan.

"I guess I can't go." Karigan said sadly.

"I don't want to change your mind but I don't want to go alone." Mara sighed.

"Do you want me to tell Mapstone that we can't go?" Karigan asked.

"Yeah," Mara headed off in the direction of the common room and Karigan towards the Captain's office.

"Umm, I'll just be a second." Captain Mapstone called out after Karigan had knocked.

Karigan stood at the door waiting. She frowned as she heard papers being rattled and rustled.

"Come in."

Karigan opened the door and found the Captain sitting on her desk on top of some papers.

"Have you and Mara reached your decision?" Mapstone asked as she hastily ran a hand through her hair which was uncharacteristically messy.

"Um yes we have. Are you alright?"

"Yes, yes, of course," the captain laughed but stopped when Karigan raised an eyebrow in disbelief. "No, I can't decide what to do."

"About?" Karigan pressed.

"Well, I've been invited to spend the week in Corsa by your father," Lauren told her, "to oversee his plans for the Rider corp." She hastily added.

Karigan fought to hide her grin. She had known for a while that Lauren and her father had been speaking a lot. They had sent almost a million letters which Karigan herself delivered almost half of, and the captain's eyes would light up with delight whenever Karigan handed a letter over.

"So, why are you having trouble deciding whether to go or not?" Karigan asked as she sat down in a chair.

"Isn't it obvious," Lauren sighed in frustration and started pacing, "he's your father."

"I thought you were just looking over his plans for the rider corps?" Karigan almost laughed at the horrified look on Lauren's face. "I'm joking. I believe that you and my father both deserve a good time. After everything that's happened."

Lauren grimaced and rubbed the new scar on her face. It went from her right temple to the side of her head where her right ear was now missing.

Her wound had healed nicely in the six months since she'd received it.

Karigan was had been found in the tombs under the castle four weeks after Lynx had returned from Blackveil. Mornhavon had disappeared completely. No one had seen or heard on him since the mirror had broken. It was four months after Karigan had been found when Lord Amberhill returned. No one knew where he'd been or how he'd gotten his information but he came back and informed them where Mornhavon was hiding.

Mornhavon was hiding in the Green Cloak forest. Immediately they had set out to fight. When they got there they found the Dark Lord in a clearing.

They attacked as one, running forward. He was too weak to raise his sword in defense. He was cut down. As the sword hit him he exploded in light.

Telagioth and Ealdaen who had struck him down were killed instantly. Lauren lost an ear and Karigan was bleeding from hundreds of stab wounds all over her body. The mending wing was working overtime to heal all those who were wounded, over half the Green Riders, a third of the Light Horse and half the Black Shields.

Karigan's father had been both horrified, relieved that they hadn't received more serious wounds, and furious. He himself had yelled at King Zachary. Luckily Queen Estora still felt gratitude towards him from the time the king's brother had tried to take over the kingdom.

"You don't mind if I go?" Lauren asked.

"Of course I don't mind. Just do me a favor and ignore my dad if he does or says anything stupid."

Lauren laughed. "Now, what's your decision?"

"We've decide that we would love to go to Breaker Island and do the secondary examinations." Karigan didn't feel the need to be there for her dad anymore. He would have Lauren and she was really looking forward to spending more time with the weapons.

"I'll send word to Drent." Lauren was smiling very widely by now and Karigan could see that she wanted to write a letter.

"I better go and get some sleep." Karigan left happily and went to find Mara.

She found her in the common room.

"What are you so happy about?" Garth asked as Karigan walked in. She hadn't noticed the massive smile that was on her face.

"Do you not have to spend every day with the weapons now?" Fergal guessed.

"Why would that make me happy?" Karigan asked truly confused.

"Because no one would enjoy spending so much time with the weapons. I mean they're so solemn. They are so strange and mean. They don't even have facial muscles." Garth explained.

"And they don't know how to tell a joke or appreciate one." Tegan added in.

Karigan and Mara frowned.

"I tried to tell one a joke and he just stared at me until he asked me to move out of the way of the door." Tegan shuddered as if not laughing at one of her jokes was evil.

Karigan thought about all her interactions with every weapon she'd ever met. The first few nods of acknowledgement, then a look of sympathy when she could hardly walk after a training session with Drent, a smile and then laughing and telling jokes.

She hadn't realized that she and Mara had been accepted as one of the weapons. They had become sisters-at-arms.

"So, why are you so happy?" Mara asked.

"I'll tell you somewhere with less rude people." Karigan got up and the two left the common room.

"What's wrong with her?" Fergal asked.

"Obviously she has to continue the training sessions. They both have been acting strange ever since they started those sessions. It's probably because they spend most of the day without speaking." Tegan said knowingly.

"That's enough to send anyone batty." Garth agreed.

**Disclaimer: **I own nothing at all :D except for the secondary examinations :D  
**Well, no torture in this chapter but there will be in the next one! :P Again sorry for the late update :D **


	9. Chapter 9

**Here comes chapter 9! I hope you enjoy this chapter :D Sorry if it's been a while but….. Enjoy the chapter :D **

Karigan and Mara waltzed up to the next day's session smiling. No one else was smiling.

"Girls, you're late." Drent roared at them, inside he was secretly smiling. He'd been told the good news early that morning and was about to up the training sessions.

"Sorry Drent." Mara apologized.

"Today's session is about control. It's about being in command of your body and making it do what you want it to." Drent's smile widened and they all took a step back.

At first none of them felt anything. They thought Drent had lost all his ruthlessness but after two minutes they almost died, literally.

They were in pushup position with nails underneath them. Sharp 6 inch long nails made of iron and sharpened to insane points. If any of them fell they would become impaled.

They were all strong though and could have held that position for years if Drent hadn't put weights on their backs.

At first they stayed there trying to have control over their body. They soon started to sweat, then to cramp and then they got bored.

"Time out Drent. I need to go to the bathroom." Mara called out after five or six minutes.

"No time outs, only death." Drent replied and with that he walked away towards the castle. "If anyone helps you out of that position then you'll be in that position all night."

Karigan's muscles were starting to really burn but she couldn't move without dying.

"So, Karigan, Mara, are you coming to the secondary examinations?" Willis called out.

"Umm," Karigan mumbled.

"Yes! We're coming, that is if we don't die in today's session." Mara cried out happily.

"It's going to be dangerous." Fastion called out.

"We're tough enough." Karigan laughed slightly.

"Karigan was going to say no but she changed her mind." Mara elaborated.

"I know my dad won't be left alone forever now. I mean I love my aunts but they can be so pushy." Karigan explained.

The others laughed.

"This isn't too bad." Donald said after they'd been there for about fifty minutes.

The sky rumbled and it started raining heavily and then it started snowing.

"You've got to be kidding me." Karigan cursed.

"Okay, Time's up." Drent called as he walked back.

He helped each of them up and they groaned in pain from cramping muscles.

"How long were we here for. One hour? An hour and a half?" Rory asked as he leaned painfully against the fence.

"Three hours." Drent smiled at their shocked expressions.

Karigan would never have guessed that.

"You have one hour break. Be back here and ready for some serious training." Drent had gotten rid of his smile and was starting to look strict.

Karigan and Mara hurried away to the rider common room.

"Yous done already?" Tegan asked excitedly. "We're planning to go to the cock and hen and spend all our saved up money."

The riders around them all cheered.

"Can't we just have a break?" Karigan moaned.

"Does anyone want to give me a massage? I'm dying here." Mara groaned while trying to ease her cramping muscles.

"You guys used to be the life of the party. What happened?" Tegan asked sadly.

"We had to sit in push up position with ten kilos on our backs and the rain pouring on us." Mara explained.

The riders all nodded, said their goodbyes and left the two in peace.

"How much longer do we have?" Karigan asked Mara as they slumped into the sofa.

"Ten minutes." Mara sighed. "Let's go."

"Good, I'm glad you're all on time or once." Drent called over the wind and rain. "We're going to do straight, simple, arms practice. I want Mara and Fastion, Karigan and Willis and Donald, and Rory and Brienne, she's come to help us out."

Brienne smiled.

"What you doing here, come to make fun of us?" Willis joked.

"No," Brienne stuck her tongue out at him, "the secondary examinations are extremely hard and I came to help my friends. Karigan and Mara." She smiled smugly.

"Let's get started!" Drent ordered.

They were working with sharp blades and not the wooden practice swords. Mara was way too gentle as she faced Fastion.

"Mara! You're going to hurt yourself or Fastion. You have to strike harder and faster." Drent corrected.

Mara grimaced but fought harder and Fastion in turn settled into the fight with ease.

Mara spent that whole lesson being yelled at by Drent. She felt like Fastion's sword never left the hit makes as she 'died' over and over again.

She wasn't the only one feeling like this though. They all did.

"Go to bed sleep. Tomorrow won't be as bad, but it's your last lesson before the secondary examinations. Work as hard as you feel you should." Drent nodded in dismissal and they walked away. "Mara, wait back a minute."

**Disclaimer: **I own nothing at all. It belongs to Kristen Britain :D  
**So, what did ya think? Already started in the next chapter so you won't have to wait too long :D **


	10. Chapter 10

**Chapter 1000000! Nah chapter 10 :D Sorry it took me a while to update but you know how it is, exams, other stories and family and friends stuff gets in the way :D but don't worry I'm back! Enjoy this chapter….. it's about to get serious**

It was their last day before leaving for their secondary examinations and they had the morning off. Karigan and Mara were celebrating by sleeping in till nine then going to have breakfast. To them it was incredibly heavenly but when they arrived at the dining hall no other riders were awake yet.

No one arrived till they were half way through their meal.

"Good morning." They greeted Alton, Garth and Fergal as they walked up.

"What's so good about it?" Fergal asked while rubbing his head. He obviously had a hangover, which was probably why most of the riders weren't up yet.

"We got to sleep in." Mara said happily.

"You call this sleeping in?" Garth looked generally concerned. "We should get Ben to look over you two."

The two women pouted jokingly and drunk their tea.

"We hear you're going away." Alton said between mouthfuls of porridge.

"Yeah, we have secondary examinations to complete." Karigan responded enthusiastically.

"And they are?"

"Weapon exams." Garth, Fergal and Alton nearly jumped out of their skins as Fastion, Donald, Rory and Willis seemingly appeared behind them. Willis expertly hid his smile as he sat down, he being the one who'd spoken.

Alton, Garth and Fergal's faces turned to ones of panic as they couldn't escape once Rory and Donald had trapped them in.

"Ah," Alton cleared his throat, "weapon exams. Are they hard?"

Willis had to admit, that guy was brave. Starting up a conversation with a black shield.

"Lethal." Rory explained.

"Lethal?" Fergal swallowed nervously.

Donald nodded gravely. "Yes, last year there were three deaths."

"But that's just a way to sift out the weak ones. Can't have weaklings defending the king." Willis joined in.

"Are you saying they had deserved to die?" Garth asked. Even that big guy was looking tiny and trapped by these men in black.

"It was their own fault they chose the wrong profession." Fastion answered. His deep voice sounding sinister and dangerous.

The three riders nodded.

"We got to go." Fergal interrupted and they jumped to their feet.

"Yeah," Alton nodded and they started backing away.

"Early riding session." Garth explained and they turned and almost ran away.

As soon as they left the room the table burst into laughter, after making sure no one but weapons were in the room.

"You guys are so mean." Mara said while wiping her eyes of tears.

"I didn't hear you explaining that half of what we said were lies." Willis smiled and Mara punched his arm.

"Why did you stay back?" Willis asked bluntly.

"I needed more practice." Mara explained happily. Nothing seemed to faze her in the slightest.

"I can't believe that this time tomorrow we'll be leaving." Karigan smiled. "This is so scary. What happens if I end up facing a weapon? I can't beat one."

"Sure you can." Willis said cheerfully but everyone noticed the corners of his mouth tugging downwards uncertainly.

"Way to make us worry." Mara muttered.

"You'll be fine." Willis told them.

"Let's go to the ring. Let's get some practice." Karigan told Mara and the two walked off.

"I feel sorry for those unsuspecting weapons. Mara and Karigan are going to kill them." Rory said seriously, they burst into laughter.

A group of blurry eyed green riders entered the dining hall and the weapons were instantly solemn.

Laren smiled as she walked outside. It was cold and slightly icy but she didn't mind it. She was about to head off to Corsa for the week. It would be slightly warmer there but not much. She was mostly excited to see Stevic again and, knowing that Karigan didn't mind, Laren's thoughts were guilt free, almost.

As she rounded the corner of the castle she noticed the six figures mounting tie horses.

She could easily make out Karigan and Mara but the others were harder to realize. They looked like weapons but were smiling. She shook her head and walked back inside.

Smiling weapons? What a silly idea.

**Disclaimer: **Everything, except the secondary examinations, belongs to Kristen Britain  
**What do you think? Was it good? Did you enjoy it? Did it suck :p please review and I'll update nice and quickly :D Just to let you know, the examinations will be completely different to whatever you think they are :D **


	11. Chapter 11

**Sorry it's been a while since I've updated, one week, but my sister has been using her laptop for studying :p how inconsiderate :D kidding :) enjoy this chapter…. **

"You are so stupid." Mara told Willis. "It's obvious that this stew need more salt and less pepper."

"I know how to cook better than you and it needs more pepper." Willis snapped back.

The fight had been going on for more than an hour and the others were becoming very hungry. They lay around the fire and were staring blankly at the two fighting. At first it had been funny, good entertainment, but now it was just annoying.

"You are not a better cook than me." Mara raged back at him.

"Never again, never again will we ever make or let them cook together." Donald growled.

"I'm so hungry." Rory groaned.

"Me too." Karigan replied.

"What are we going to do? We have to eat soon, we need our strength for tomorrow." Fastion told them.

"Fine, I'll stop them." Karigan stood up. "SHUT UP!"

Mara and Willis stated at her shocked and confused.

"WE ARE HUNGRY AND WANT TO EAT SOMETHING. Now," Karigan stopped yelling and went all sweet, "give us the stew as it is at this very moment."

"You could have just asked instead of yelling." Mara growled but complied.

Everyone scoffed down the stew eagerly. Karigan had to admit, it did need more salt but she didn't want another fight to break out so said nothing.

"What should we expect when we get to Breaker Island?" Karigan asked.

Donald looked around. "We can tell you now only because you're about to go there but you cannot tell anyone." His voice was serious and the two Green Riders lent forward in anticipation.

"Black Shields don't only protect the king and the dead, and they don't only live at the castle and Breaker Island." Donald explained. "There are five places where Black Shields can be stationed."

"Every year a number of Weapons come to Breaker Island for their secondary examinations." Rory took over the conversation. "There is a competition, not officially, about what station has the best Weapons."

"For the past hundred years Sacor Castle has lost." Willis told them. "It is every Weapon's hope that they will change that, and Drent and Kingston think you can help us with it."

"Is that why we are here?" Mara asked.

"And because it'll be good for you." Willis smiled.

"So let me get this straight, a bunch of Weapons are about to meet and go through a bunch of dangerous tests to see if they are still good enough to continue their jobs but secretly they are fighting each other to see who is the best?" Karigan asked.

"Pretty much." Fastion nodded.

"We're going to die." Mara sighed sadly.

"Where are these other stations?" Karigan asked.

The Weapons all looked at Fastion.

"We're not really allowed to talk about that. It's kind of secret."

Karigan frowned.

"Would you tell us where all the Rider way stations are?" Fastion raised an eyebrow.

"Not really." Karigan shrugged.

"When we get there we'll go to the sign up table, get new uniforms and then be assigned to our rooms." Rory explained.

"I feel as if I'm going to be judged really harshly." Mara frowned.

"Probably." Willis told her.

The group then fell asleep. Karigan tried to sleep but just couldn't. She sat up and poured herself a cup of tea.

"You alright?" Fastion asked.

He had startled her slightly but she was used to weapons jumping out from the shadows. "Yeah, just a little nervous."

"You have nothing to be nervous about. Neither does Mara. You are both going to shock those black Shields back into their place."

"You don't really like those other Black Shields do you?" Karigan asked.

"They are a lot more stuck up. They think they're amazing because they are stationed somewhere else. Not all of them are bad. There are worse places to be stationed than in Sacor Castle." Fastion told her.

"Is Sacor Castle bad? Don't you want to be stationed there?"

"Of course I do." Fastion added quickly. "I love it. It's definitely the best place to be, but the others don't think so."

Karigan nodded. "I didn't know Weapons could be stuck up. I thought they were all like 'Death is Honor'."

Fastion laughed. "I think these examinations are to remind those Weapons about what we are really about."

"And what is that? Protecting the king?"

"Protecting Sacoridia." Fastion corrected. "Protecting the King is part of that duty but sometimes I think I'd protect him over Sacoridia. Only sometimes though."

Karigan shook her head in amazement. "I never knew what the weapons were actually about. I thought they were just special guards."

Fastion laughed.

"Don't laugh at me." Karigan told him but his laugh proved to be infectious and they were soon both in stitches.

"Green Riders aren't just about delivering messages. Nothing is what it seems." Fastion told her. "Except fishermen."

Karigan laughed. "That is so true."

"Are you excited for tomorrow?" Fastion asked.

"A little bit. What about you?" Karigan couldn't help but smile as she sipped her tea.

"I'm nervous about seeing all the people from my year level. Not as much as Willis will be." Fastion smiled. "His ex-fiancée was in our year level. They broke up because on their anniversary Willis was out drinking with me, Rory and Donald instead of celebrating with her."

"That is understandable." Kaigan said slightly disgusted.

"It was the last night we had to spend on Breaker Island. You can't really blame us, we were excited for our next adventure." Fastion shrugged.

Karigan couldn't help but laugh. She could easily imagine Willis drinking instead of being at his anniversary dinner.

"Anyway, we should get some sleep." Fastion said and the two settled down to sleep again.

**Disclaimer: **I own only Kingston and Willis' ex-fiancée  
**Please review and I'll really enjoy anything you have to say :D Just to let you know, chapter 12 will be up in a second :P **


	12. Chapter 12

**Third chapter today :D I'm on a roll :P Hope you enjoy this chapter and leave a nice happy review at the end :D if it's really nice I'll PM you :) **

Without really meaning to, the group had moved into a formation with Fastion and Donald at the front, Karigan and Mara protectively in the middle, and Willis and Rory behind them. They were riding quickly and it was just midday.

They were about to reach Breaker Island and were all nervous.

Suddenly they emerged in a massive clearing surrounded on two sides by a precipice, one a massive river and the other an enormous forest.

Karigan whistled.

There were heaps of buildings and heaps of Black Shields walking around most of them with expressions on their faces, and there were many fighting rings.

"Let's go to the stables first." Willis called out from the back and they headed towards one of the smaller buildings.

Karigan and Mara shifted awkwardly in their saddles. Everyone was staring at them. They looked at them like they didn't belong, like they were trespassing.

"I feel like I'm being judged." Mara whispered to Karigan and she couldn't help but laugh.

"We stand out like a rose in a bunch of thorns." Karigan whispered back. "We are dressed in green and they are all in black."

"I know, I'm not blind." Mara snapped.

They reached the stables and Karigan and Mara tended to Condor and Firefly. They looked after their horses so carefully and lovingly that the Weapons felt ashamed and looked after their horses with just as much care.

"Now what?" Karigan asked nervously.

"We need to sign in." Fastion told her.

"I don't want to go back out into the open." Mara muttered.

"Me neither." Karigan muttered.

"Let's just stay together." Fastion told them all and as one they exited the stables and made their way over to a tiny shack that was signing people in for secondary examinations.

"Fastion!" Someone called out and a Weapon came up. He had black wavy hair and dark dreamy eyes. He was tall and had the same build as any other Black Shield.

"Robert." Fastion strained a smile and the two men embraced.

"Good to see you." Robert smiled and Karigan and Mara glanced at each other, quickly looking away before they laughed. "Donald, Rory, Willis long time no see eh?"

The others nodded and smiled half heartedly.

"And you two green riders are?" He turned that dazzling smile on them.

Karigan smiled. "Karigan."

"Mara." Mara smiled too.

Fastion coughed. "How have you been?"

"Good, great." Robert seriously liked to smile.

"Willis!" Someone called out. A woman stormed up to Willis and punched him across the face.

He stumbled back holding his cheek. "Macy, how've you been?" Willis asked.

"Fine, no thanks to you. Just to let you know I got over you a long time ago. But I still owed you that punch." The Weapon named Macy smiled and stormed off.

"Old girlfriend?" Mara asked Willis.

"Fiancée." Robert told her.

"Wow, must have been some break up." Mara laughed.

"See you all later." Robert smiled and clapped Fastion on the back before leaving and walking away.

Fastion growled menacingly. "Still as annoying as always."

"Definitely." Donald muttered.

"Let's go." Rory told them and they continued on.

They reached the shack.

"Names?" An old Black Shield asked from behind the counter.

"Fastion Finrich, Rory Devenport, Donald Sandic, Willis Gunner, Karigan G'ladheon and Mara Brennyn." Fastion gave all their names.

"Ahh," The old Weapon looked up, "the green riders."

"Yes, do you have a problem with that?" Karigan asked threateningly. Mara crossed her arms and looked like the muscle in the background.

A muscle in the old Weapon's face twitched. "Here are you uniforms and your room numbers."

Fastion took the parcels and they turned and walked off.

"That was so rude." Mara raged.

"They believe you are trespassing for no reason." Rory told them.

"That's dumb." Karigan muttered.

"But that's how they feel." Willis frowned.

The green riders simultaneously rolled their eyes and walked off angrily in a huff.

**Disclaimer: **I own Robert and Macy :D but no one else :P  
**Sorry it was short but needed to be that way. Hope you enjoyed this and could you please review on your way out :D I really enjoy everything you have to say :P **


	13. Chapter 13

**Chapter 13! Thanks for all the nice reviews :P I loved them, my favorite was the one about smashing weapons into dust particles :D made me giggle for quite a while :P sorry if I've got to change a bit about the Black Shields but we don't know much about them :D  
ENJOY…. **

The cabins were situated on the edge of the precipice, so perfectly balanced they were that half of it was hanging over the edge.

The examers from Sacor City's cabins were on the very end of the cabin line. They were rudely placed with a couple of empty cabins between them and all the others.

The girls' were alone in one cabin and the boys in the other.

The cabins were spacious with four beds, a mirror and one small wardrobe full of black uniforms. Karigan and Mara moaned at the lack of green, it was as if they were being forced to reject the colour.

"You girls alright?" Willis asked as the four entered their cabin cautiously.

"Of course we're alright." Mara replied. "We're fine even though we're on the end of the cabins where we'll be the first murdered horribly in an attack."

Karigan laughed.

"Sadly that's true." Fastion replied, his facial expression one of deep anger. "If anything happens just call us."

Mara nodded rather skeptically.

"So what's happening tonight?" Karigan asked.

"We have a dinner with all the other examers come for the secondary examinations, then we go to bed." Fastion explained.

"What happens tomorrow?" Karigan asked biting her lip.

"The tests start. We have to meet at the forest line. There we will meet our instructor and start the tests." Fastion winced.

"I'm not looking forward to that." Mara groaned.

"I don't think anyone is." Willis muttered. "Except those stupid Granite Hynmoufs."

"What?" Karigan's head snapped up. "The Hynmoufs are caves on the North boarder."

Willis looked down, suddenly red in the face.

"Good going idiot." Donald hit Willis over the head and all the weapons turned angry faces to him.

"Is that one of the other places you can be assigned to?" Mara asked.

The weapons looked at the ground awkwardly.

"Yeah," Fastion muttered.

"We better go to let you change." Rory muttered quickly and the weapons trampled quickly out the door.

Mara and Karigan exchanged looks and changed into the black uniforms.

xXxXxXxXx

"Come on Willis." Donald called out angrily.

"I'm coming." Willis muttered, he was sitting on his bed putting his shoes on.

"Fastion where are you?" Donald asked.

"This uniform is too itchy." Fastion cursed as he emerged from the wardrobe. He was holding his black tunic at arm's length and he glared at it.

"Just put it on and let's go. We're going to be late and are probably going to get in so much trouble." Rory hissed.

Knock knock.

"Hello?" Rory said and opened the door. He frowned at the women on the step. Deadly, gorgeous Black Shields stood there, but Rory had never met them before.

"Ror, who is it?" Willis asked, expertly balanced on one foot as he pulled on his other boot.

"It's us, who else would it be?" Mara announced and the two green riders walked into their cabin.

The weapons stared at them.

"You look good in black." Willis commented.

"Thanks," Mara laughed.

"Let's go." Fastion announced and the group walked off.

xXxXxXxXx

The dining hall was a low, long building that held around fifty weapons and twenty commanding weapons. There were five tables and six weapons sat on each, all together there were thirty secondary examers and ten older Black Shields that sat on the big table down one end of the hall.

No weapons looked up from their meals as if they were hesitant to meet anyone's eyes. Robert and Macy were sitting on the same table with four other weapons. No one had a sword on their hips.

Karigan took all this in while they were just beginning to eat dinner, rice and beef with a bit of spiced sauce.

"Is each table for one of the five places you can be assigned?" Karigan asked and Fastion looked up from his meal.

"Yeah, not officially but unofficially." He smiled and looked back down at his food.

_This is weird_, Mara mouthed to Karigan.

_I know_, Karigan mouthed back, reluctant to speak up in the thick silence of the room.

Everyone stopped eating and looked up at the Weapon that stood from the middle of the commanding table.

"Welcome back." He announced, his voice low and gravelly but traveling the distance of the hall.

"Who's he?" Karigan whispered.

"Felix Finbar. He's the high priest." Rory whispered back to her.

"Priest?" She raised a skeptical eyebrow.

"Shhhhh." Macy hissed from the other table.

"You are about to take your secondary examinations. These tests will be completely different to anything you have ever thought of, ever done and ever seen." Felix announced.

"Hopefully not too many of you will die, or fail. So do your best. Death is Honor."

"Death is Honor." Karigan and Mara jumped at the sudden calls from the weapons around them. They'd all cried out at once and scared the wits out of the unsuspecting Green Riders.

Felix and the other commanding Shields left the hall and the assembled weapons burst into talk. They turned to friends and spoke.

"That was scary." Mara muttered.

"That was terrifying." Karigan corrected. The two burst into laughter.

"People don't generally laugh at the high priest." Willis told them, but had a giant smiled on his face.

The six got up and went to leave the hall.

Karigan felt someone push her roughly from behind as they waited in the line to get out.

She turned around angrily. Macy was standing there with a group of other weapons.

"Sorry, did you want something?" Macy asked sweetly.

"Yes I did." Karigan smiled, looking rather kind. "I wanted an apology for pushing me."

"I didn't touch you, if I did I would never be clean again." Macy smiled.

"Please," Karigan scoffed, "I'm cleaner than you'll ever be."

"You disgrace that uniform. What are you doing here?" Macy scowled.

By now the examers had gathered around the two. All watching eagerly. Fastion, Willis, Donald and Rory were standing politely back, knowing that Mara and Karigan could fight their own battles.

"We're taking the exams because we are ready. Besides, if I were you I'd worry about disgracing your own uniform." Mara snapped happily.

Macy turned her glare on Mara. "What happened to your face? Did you burn yourself trying to light a camp fire?"

Mara took a step back and stared blankly at Macy. Her hand reached up to touch the melted flesh on the side of her face. She remembered being embarrassed for months about her face but had finally gotten over it.

Karigan felt her blood begin to boil. _How dare she?_

"Slug her in the jaw." Someone from the crowd called and Karigan punched Macy in the face.

**Disclaimer: **I own no one but Felix Finbar, Macy and Robert  
**Hope you enjoyed that chapter :D You give a nice review and I'll update the next one sooner :D sorry that I invented the word examers :D **


	14. Chapter 14

**And here comes the wonderful chapter 14! Hope you enjoy this and please, no hateful reviews or I'll get my buddy Dakota on to you :) you'll understand at the end of the chapter :D enjoy….. **

"You started a bar fight! A bloody BAR FIGHT!" Kingston yelled at the weapons from Sacor City. He'd turned up shortly after the fight and started shouting at them, before going to his cabin and eating.

"You are Black Shields, or acting Shields, and you're acting like children. Grow up and learn to repress your emotions!" He ranted.

At every word the group winced.

He took a deep breath and ran a hand through his hair. "Who called out 'slug her in the jaw'?"

The boys looked straight ahead and Karigan and Mara looked at them. No one answered.

"WHO CALLED OUT?"

"I did." They all answered as one.

Kingston glared at them. "If you lie on more time..." He left the threat hang in the air. "I ask you. Who called out?"

"It was me." Fastion answered quickly, before any of the others could.

"I expected better from you Fastion. We'll have a chat about this when we get back to the castle." Kingston told him. He turned on his heel and walked off into the darkness.

"Thanks." Willis muttered.

"That's alright." Fastion told him, "You would have done the same for me. Besides, my record is spotless, until I turned up to work with a hangover."

Willis nodded.

"So it was really you?" Karigan asked Willis and he nodded again.

xXxXxXxXx

Jacob Kingston couldn't help but smile. The guilty look on Willis' face had been priceless and the fight had been just as funny. He'd laughed thought the whole thing. Mara and Karigan were going to save Sacor City's reputation and kill a couple of people in the process.

"What are you smirking at?" Jacob looked up from his musings and found Melissa and Brett looking at him. They were in the middle of a game of Intrigue and Melissa had spoken up.

"Just thinking about my weapons." He told them, pulling a seat up.

"That fight." Brett smiled.

"First time a bar fight actually worked." Melissa laughed. "Every year one happens but this is the first one that worked."

"Thanks to those Green Riders." Jacob told them.

"Yeah," Melissa smiled, "I was all for them coming."

"A couple of losers were against it." Brett told them.

"Like Felix." Melissa's lip curled in distaste.

"Yeah, I hate that guy." Jacob muttered. "I wish we could just punch him in the face."

"Just tell that rider to and she will." Melissa laughed.

Jacob couldn't help but join in.

xXxXxXxXx

Da dad da dada da dah, da da

Karigan groaned and pulled a pillow over her head.

Da dad da dada da POOF!

Karigan looked up as the trumpet came to an abrupt stop. Feathers filled the room and the trumpet guy pulled the empty pillow case off his head.

Karigan and Mara fell into helpless giggles. The trumpet guy crawled out the open doorway.

"Good throw." Karigan told Mara.

"I know." She smiled and yawned.

"Today we have the secondary examinations." Karigan reminded her.

Mara winced. "I knew there was a reason I wanted to sleep in."

"Come on." Karigan pulled Mara out of bed and they changed.

"What happened to Bob?" Willis asked as they met up on their way to the place where they would meet their instructor.

"Who?" Mara asked.

"The trumpet guy." Willis explained.

"Oh yeah, Mara threw a pillow at him." Karigan giggled as she told him.

The Weapons rolled their eyes at the riders' reactions to waking up early.

"Come on, we better get going." Fastion told them all and they left the cabin and started on their way to the river.

"I spy with my little eye, something beginning with T." Karigan told them.

"Umm," Mara bit her lip.

"Tree." Fastion interrupted.

"Hey, we decided that I would guess this one." Mara objected.

"I couldn't have made it any easier." Karigan told her.

"Party poopers." Mara muttered.

They arrived at the river and Karigan's mouth dropped open.

Standing there, their new instructor, was Drent.

"What's he doing here?" She demanded angrily to Fastion.

"He's always here." He frowned down at her. Understanding dawned on his face. "That's not Drent. It's his brother."

"Drent has a brother?"

"He's one of seven." Fastion explained.

"Oh, and they all decided to be violent sword masters?"

"All except Drazel who became a pastry chef." Fastion told her.

"Fun."

They reached Drent's brother just as six other examers walked up. Macy, Robert, Flint, Gretchen, Jordan and Liam were all stationed at the Granite Hynmoufs.

Macy had a black eye and turned her nose up at them, but Robert smiled warmly.

"Good morning examers. Hope you're all feeling better after last night." Drent's brother smiled and everyone groaned. "For those of you that don't know me, my name is Dakota and I will be your mentor for the next week." He smiled evilly like Drent.

Karigan could now see the small differences between the two brothers. Drent was shorter and wider but Dakota was taller and rather svelte but still muscular. The most obvious difference was Dakota's scar. It cut right across his face, turning an otherwise handsome face ugly. She wondered how he'd got it.

"Now, I don't care if you guys don't like each other, you will do what I say and exactly what I say." Dakota told them sternly.

"Oh no," Mara whispered to the others, "I hope he doesn't make us start up a sing-along."

The group couldn't help but snigger.

"I'm sorry, but is something funny Fastion?" Dakota's voice interrupted gruffly.

"No sir," Fastion answered.

"Good, then you wouldn't mind demonstrating the first task." Dakota smiled, a smirk quite similar to Drent's reaction to making others suffer.

**Disclaimer: **I own nothing but Dakota, Macy, Brett, Melissa, Bob, Drazel and Kingston. Wow I own a lot in this chapter and the Secondary Examinations :D sadly I don't own anything else  
**How'd you like it? Drent's evil brother is coming to train them and poor Karigan and Mara don't like waking up early :P Review please! **


	15. Chapter 15

**Here comes Chapter FIFTEEN! :P hope you like it :P it's been a while cos I'm not good at fight scenes :( but there is no fight scene in this chapter! Enjoy it :D **

Fastion smoothly picked his way into the middle of the rushing waters of the river, keeping the wooden practice sword high in the air.

"Looking good there." Mara called to him. "although you're in danger of a wave coming and ruining your sword."

The Sacor city examers burst into laughter.

"Shut up." Fastion yelled back.

"They make a good point." Dakota told him. "Hold the sword higher or it'll rust."

"It's wood." Fastion muttered and stopped in the middle of the river.

"Correction, it's your best friend. Your sword." Dakota smiled, then turned his grin on Robert. The Weapon took a step backwards.

"Go on. What are you waiting for? All of you get in." Dakota told them.

xXxXxXx

All the Weapons were standing in the middle of the river, holding wooden practice swords above their heads. Half of the twelve were grumbling, and one was swearing.

"It is cold." Mara kept on saying, swearing words between each sentence. "This is so unfair."

"Yes we know that Mara." Karigan snapped.

"How long do we have to stay here for?" Mara demanded from Dakota.

"Until I say." The sword master told her, a bemused expression on his face.

"You do know this is_," Mara started.

"Shut up!" Macy yelled. "We know you don't like this but stop whining."

"It's not whining, it's complaining." Karigan snapped, coming to her friend's defense.

Willis cried out suddenly. He smiled sheepishly. "Almost lost my footing."

Mara giggled. She cried out and grabbed hold of Willis to stop herself from falling. Willis' arms windmilled and slammed into Rory.

The movement caught him off guard and he fell back into Donald.

Karigan laughed crazily but something slammed into her back and she fell into Fastion. He garbed her around the waist with one hand, dropped his sword and grabbed Donald's shoulder with the other.

All six were balanced precariously into the middle of the river. No one spoke and no one moved.

Mara's laughter cut through the shocked silence. "This reminds me of when we were in that plank of wood."

"And Drent had to push us all in," Karigan joined in the laughing, "the water was half frozen."

"I think I want to gouge my eyes out." Macy's voice cut through the laughter.

Karigan laughed good heartedly.

"At least they're having a better time than we are." Robert muttered. He made his way over to the group and helped Karigan and Mara up.

"Thanks." The two told him, smiling and batting their eye lashes.

"You guys can get out now." Dakota told them.

Karigan's muscles protested angrily as she attempted to pull herself out of the river.

"Do not think that we are done for today." Dakota told them.

Everyone groaned.

"Sparing. These fights won't be until simple kill points." Dakota told them. "Maiming will happen, and we aren't responsible for any deaths."

Karigan gulped.

"There are no boundaries. Just get the kill point and try not to kill each other in the process, but you know, accidents happen." Dakota shrugged.

"You think this is a good idea?" Mara asked Dakota.

"They have bad water between them, and no this isn't a good idea." Dakota smiled.

Karigan and Macy stood facing each other. Karigan was adjusting to the long sword in her hand. She was used to a saber and now she was facing a weapon who hated her. A weapon who Karigan was quite motivated to beat.

"Come one Kari." Fastion muttered.

Willis smirked. "Yeah come on Kari!" He called out.

Karigan focused on keeping the smile off her face. "You ready Macy?"

"More than ready Greenie." Macy answered.

"Prepare yourselves Weapons." Dakota announced. Karigan and Macy turned back to back.

"Maybe someone else should go first." Robert suggested. Dakota turned a glare on him. "Then again maybe not."

"And fight!"

Karigan dropped to the ground and turned. Macy's sword whistled over her head, just missing her scalp.

"This is not safe." Rory muttered.

Karigan jumped backwards as Macy swiped at her again.

She started to settle into the fight, dodging under and around Macy's swipes. Karigan's back banged into the fence posts around the ring. She kicked out and Macy stumbled backwards holding her stomach.

Karigan jumped backwards over the fence.

Macy hurdled after her and Karigan faced her.

Karigan jumped forward, sword coming down in an arch. Instead of jumping back Macy jumped forward, colliding with Karigan and they fell to the ground.

Karigan grabbed Macy's neck as they rolled over, and pulled her over her head and then Karigan was on top. She smashed her fist down into Macy's face but she moved and her fist slammed into the dirt.

Macy's legs came up and grabbed Karigan's face and pulled her down.

Karigan slammed an elbow into the Weapon's stomach. She was free. She scrambled to her feet, retrieved her sword and faced Macy again.

"Shouldn't we stop this now?" Fastion asked.

Dakota shrugged. "We probably should but this is way too exciting."

The others nodded.

The two fighting woman traded blows and slices but both manage to keep away from the sharp end of the swords.

Their blades locked and their faces were inches apart, their weapons between them.

"What are you doing playing games?" Macy asked. "You're a weak Green Rider that's playing at being a Weapon."

Karigan smiled. She sunk her teeth into Macy's arm, the woman screamed, she then slammed her forehead into hers.

Macy fell backwards. Karigan kicked out and hit her hard in the chest.

Macy fell down and backward rolled to her feet. Anger filled her eyes, a scary intelligent filled anger.

"Enough." Robert interrupted. He walked forward and grabbed Macy as she pounced on Karigan. "That's enough."

"You alright?" Fastion asked Karigan concerned.

"I'm good." She replied, holding her right arm close to her body.

"Well that was just great. You stepped in just as it was getting good." Dakota said sadly.

"Sorry, but they were about to kill each other." Robert objected.

Dakota shrugged. "And who said that was a bad thing?"

**OOOOOOHHHHH :D day one of the secondary exams :P hope my fight scene was good :) My fight scenes aren't as good as my other writing :/ Please review and I'll write quicker! :D **


	16. Chapter 16

**Chapter sixteen! I've been waiting to upload this for a while, but just not managed to do it :D I hope you enjoy and know more chapters are coming, I believe this story will be my longest, until my next Green Rider story :D**

Karigan had never been so sore. She'd thought Drent was bad, and he really was, but in his classes you never had to fight for your life or to be better than a group of sour pusses.

They all went to the girls' cabin and they collapsed onto the ground. No one said anything as they all tried to catch their breaths. They just laid there staring at each other's pained expressions.

"I hurt all over." Mara moaned.

"Me too." Fastion replied.

"I hate Macy." Karigan announced. "I don't care if you were going to marry her, Willis. I really don't like her."

Willis started chuckling, which turned to a laugh, which happened to be contagious. Soon they were all rolling around on the floor holding their sides. It wasn't so much funny, it was because they were so exhausted that it seemed hilariously funny.

"What is so funny?" Robert's voice came.

Their heads snapped up. He and all the Granite Hynmoufs examers were standing in the door way.

"Umm," Karigan bit her lip, "I can't remember."

"Willis started the laughing." Rory told them.

Willis looked up innocently. "Just something Kari said."

"Well she can tell her story once we've got going." Macy snapped.

"I can tell it now if you want." Karigan muttered. Mara burst into giggles.

"Wait," Fastion said, "where are we going?"

Their giggles and funny behavior was immediately replaced by sober behavior.

"The night hike." Robert reminded them.

Mara's mouth dropped open. "Okay, I like the night part but Hike? That sounds dangerous, and a lot of work."

"Ahh, I remember now." The weapons from Sacor City commented.

"On the first night of the secondary exams there's a walk. In your groups you get given a path." Fastion explained.

"What are our groups?" Karigan asked.

"The groups we were in today." Fastion gulped.

Karigan turned her disgusted look towards the other examers who were the other half of their group.

"You mean for the rest of the week we're with them? Not being rude to you Robert, just Macy."

Robert smiled his charming handsome smile.

An owl hooted, and something slithered over the leaves. The night was dark and cold. Karigan had been in scarier situations/scarier forests but never had she been so bored.

"I spy with my little eye," She thought about something to make them fail, "something beginning with u."

"Ugly!" Mara exclaimed happily.

"Yeah!" They high fived in triumph.

Macy rolled her eyes. "It wasn't funny the first time let alone the thirtieth."

The others murmured in agreement.

The group then settled into companionably silence. A few conversations started up.

Mara left Karigan's side and was talking with Willis.

Karigan's thoughts wondered back to the city and back to the things she was leaving behind with every step. She would become a weapon one day, there was no going back now. No becoming a merchant. It was kind of sad.

All she'd ever wanted to do when she was young was follow her dad around, and make sure he was never alone. He wasn't anymore. At the moment he had the Captain, and Karigan was sure that the two wouldn't let the other go.

She couldn't help but feel slightly insulted. Could she really be so easily replaced?

"Deep thoughts?" She jumped slightly. Robert smiled kindly at her.

"Is it that obvious?" She smiled back.

"Your brow is all furrowed." He chuckled slightly. "So what are you thinking of?"

She shrugged. "Just my father and my future." She frowned, a thought striking her. "What were your thoughts before you became a Black Shield?"

He blinked blankly at her. "Umm," he frowned. "Nothing much, I, I was just thinking that it was where I belonged."

Karigan shrugged. It wasn't the answer she was looking for. "There's just so much I don't know about the Black Shields, and I'm committing myself to them with every second I stay here. After tonight there is no going back."

Karigan was slightly shocked at how much she was confiding with him.

He chuckled and clapped her on the back. "Trust in Westrion, he'll lead you right."

He walked off and into a clearing. Karigan just stood there holding her broach unnaturally tight. Not Westrion again, couldn't he leave her alone?

"Kari, come on, we're first group to the top." Fastion called out.

Karigan shook the feeling of otherworldly power from her mind and hurried up to the clearing.

The clearing was big, and the air was thin they were up so high. A massive oak tree grew in its center. Its branches reaching high into the sky, its bark the colour of the night sky, its roots buried deep in the earth, its leaves a dark green that she'd never seen, and its trunk was almost three meters wide.

The two green riders who'd never seen it before stopped in their tracks. They tried to see the top of the thing but it was impossible.

"No matter how many times I've seen it I'm still filled with awe." Fastion commented.

"I agree, it's like a doorway to the heavens." Robert added.

"Have you ever climbed to the top?" Karigan asked, thinking back to her years as a child and the apple orchard.

Macy laughed. "No, but not from lack of trying."

"Shall we try?" Mara asked, her eyes wide with anticipation.

Macy bit her lip. For some reason everyone turned to her for permission. "Yes." She cried happily.

They were like horses finally been given their head to run, and the group turned to the tree. Jumping high to grabbed the branches.

They stretched high and stood on tippy toes, like children playing all over again, and they slowly ascended the ginormous beast of a tree.

**Disclaimer: **I own nothing that KB does :D  
**Just to let you know ginormous is spelt right and is a real word :) Hope you enjoyed this, more twists and turns are coming believe me :P **


	17. Chapter 17

**I want to thank you aaallllll for the reviews :D they never fail to make me smile.  
Thank you Meggie for your wonderful review. It's nice to know that you're enjoying my real life Weapons :D  
I hope you enjoy this chapter :P….. (forgive any spelling mistakes)**

"I can't believe we couldn't reach the top." Macy was complaining as they climbed down.

"It seemed that the top was just above us every branch we climbed." Mara agreed.

"Oh well, next time we'll make it." Karigan told the others confidently. The men were silent, they felt like they'd be beaten by a tree.

They landed on the ground, straightened their clothes and turned around.

Three Black Shields were standing there; arms crossed angrily, expressions clouded over in disapproval.

"You were climbing the tree? We had waited for almost twenty minutes before we decided that you wouldn't be coming." Felix Finbar, the high priest, glared at them. "You missed the whole prayer."

"I'd be glad if I missed the one about Westrion." Karigan muttered.

Felix Finbar's face went bright red, and he opened and closed his mouth in anger.

"I don't mean to be rube but that god is so annoying. Although I don't mind Salvistar." Karigan carried on, enjoying the different colours Felix Finbar was going. She could see Kingston struggling not to laugh.

"Any way Felix, we're really tired." Mara spoke up, yawning for the effect. "Come on, we have a long walk."

The group hesitated before following the two green riders back down the hill.

"Good night Felix." Karigan called over her shoulder and waved.

They burst into laughter once they reached the cabins again. They dropped to the ground and gasped for breath. It was way too funny in Karigan's opinion.

"I can't believe you said that to the high priest." Fastion gasped between breaths.

"You riders are crazy, speaking like that to him." Macy told them as she giggled. "But you're funny."

Karigan and Mara smiled at her praise, not that they needed it but because now Karigan didn't have to get into any more fights with her.

"I hope we don't pay for it tomorrow." Rory winced.

"Damn, I didn't think of that." Robert cursed.

Dakota was smiling as they walked up to him. Everyone was tired, sore, and weary.

"I heard you took a nice climb yesterday, and failed to reach the top of a tiny tree." He smirked and taunted.

"That tree was massive." Mara defended them.  
"That or your muscles are tiny."

Karigan groaned. She immediately knew something bad was going to happen. "You ready for your lesson?"

"I grew up in Sacor City." Rory told her as they walked, she had asked. "I constantly saw the Black Shields guarding the Queen. It made six year old me very awed." He smiled.

"Is that why you joined the Black Shields?" Karigan asked.

"Yeah, and because Fastion and Donald did." Rory explained.

They were walking along a set out path. Karigan's right leg tied to Rory's left. They were supposed to walk along the path set out and try to not get tapped by any of the other pairs, while tapping them on the back.

If you got tapped on the back you had to untie and run off to split the others up. The last pair still tied together, wins.

"So, why are you becoming a weapon?" Rory asked.

"Umm, it just sort of happened." Karigan shrugged.

"Does it by any chance have something to do with Fastion?" Rory asked, elbowing her slightly.

Karigan just stared in shock at him. Suddenly she laughed. "It's not because of Fastion."

Rory raised an eye brow.

"Is it that obvious?" Karigan asked, looking down in embarrassment.

Rory chuckled slightly. "It's not that obvious, it's just cos we know both of you."

"We?!" She exclaimed.

Rory coughed awkwardly.

Running footsteps sounded behind them. Robert and Fastion came running around the corner, tied together in a three legged race.

"Ah, we should probably run." Karigan suggested.

The two took off, and fell face first onto the ground.

"Okay," Rory said and pulled her up, "Right leg first."

"Your left my right." She clarified.

"Step, step, step." His counting go faster and faster and slowly they picked up speed.

Karigan's lungs were burning. She could see Dakota and the others waiting at what appeared to be the finish line. She could hear Fastion and Robert getting closer.

She'd had a stitch for the last fifteen minutes, but pride and Rory's commitment had made her keep running.

"Can't run, must stop." Karigan coughed out before collapsing. Rory tripped, she yelped.

"Damn." Fastion cursed before he and Robert ran right into them and fell onto the dust road as well.

Mara burst into laughter, followed by Macy. Dakota did not look impressed.

"Get up!" He snapped.

"You should warn someone before you stop right in front of them." Fastion said. They tried to untangle themselves and failed miserably. In the end they untied each other and tried to stand.

"That was tedious." Karigan muttered through gasps.

Fastion laughed. "It was. You stepped on my back more than once."

"Sorry," Karigan giggled, she felt like a giddy school girl again.

"Don't worry, I'm tougher than I look." He laughed.

"I might just vomit." Dakota boomed.

Karigan hoped people thought her blush was because of the running. "You people will find yourselves in a very awkward spot soon."

Everyone frowned at him, very worried.

"I believe Drazel, my brother wanted to meet you all." Dakota dismissed them all.

"He's the baker isn't he?" Mara asked excitedly.

The Black Shields nodded enthusiastically. They took off towards the village, and to the baker.

Dakota walked right into a yelling match. He was actually surprised no one had unsheathed their swords yet. He walked into the common room for the senior Black Shields and found Jacob and Melissa and Felix screaming at each other.

"They climbed the bloody tree?" Felix screamed, his voice rather high pitched.

"Everyone has climbed the tree at some point." Jacob yelled back, sounding much manlier that Felix did.

"They were disrespecting our rules."

"And they called you Felix." Melissa pointed out, making the High Priest change from red to purple.

"They must be thrown out." He snapped angrily. "I came to inform you what was happening, not give you a choice."

"Well that's not going to happen." Jacob growled angrily.

"I've come to inform you that they're ready for the secondary exams." Dakota announced and everyone turned to him.

"They're being kicked out." Felix hissed.

"I'll start it tomorrow. I think they're ready."

Jacob smiled. "Yay, soon we can get them back to Sacor City and protecting the king."

Melissa whooped in happiness.

Felix was pretty much boiling with rage. "I'm the High Priest!" His voice shrill.

"And we don't care." Jacob growled, standing to his tallest height and staring threateningly at the small man.

Felix hurried from the room tripping over his black robes slightly. "You'll regret this, all of you. And your weapons."

"Well I'm not worried at all." Melissa commented. "Do you want to play Intrigue?"

"Sure why not." Dakota sat down at the board, becoming the triad of the game. Jacob joined them.

**How'd you enjoy this chapter? I know quite a bit happened in this chapter but just look on them as fun :D I believe Aereal wanted to meet Drazel and now you will! :D **


	18. Chapter 18

**I have neglected my writing of fanfics in the past week or two and feel bad, but here comes the next chapter which is longer than normal! But there will be more chapters coming! But not too many :( **

"This is delicious." Mara groaned in delight as she bit into the piece of apple pie. Drazel smiled at the praise and continued kneading the dough.

Karigan was already on her third piece. The guys hadn't stopped eating, they didn't even stop to complement his cooking.

"Glad you all like it." He smiled encouragingly. "I hope my brothers aren't being too difficult."

"Drent made us ran around the fighting ring until our feet were bleeding." Mara exaggerated, but only slightly.

"And then, he pushed us into a half frozen river." Willis stopped eating long enough to explain.

Drazel blinked. "My brothers need to have a talking to. They seem to forget that people have feelings, and limitations."

"We don't have limitations." Karigan objected.

"We can do anything and everything any of your brothers tell us to do." Macy agreed.

"Then why are you complaining so much?" Drazel asked innocently.

"Creating conversation." Fastion suggested.

The girls nodded.

"Does that mean you're going to get through the secondary examinations and become senior Black Shields?" Drazel questioned.

"Yes," they all said as one.

"Then you better get to bed early." The baker snapped in a commanding voice that would make even his brothers jump to.

"Yes sir." They all mumbled as they hurried off to the cabins.

Drazel smiled. They were definitely going to pass. He went off to write a note to Drent, congratulating him on his new weapons. Drent really could make anyone do whatever he wanted them too.

Karigan was thinking back to their talk with Drazel as they walked back and she realized how different he was to his brothers. They had looked very similar but he seemed smarter, more deceptive. How else would he have gotten them to stop complaining about their training sessions and instead become motivated to show Drent and Dakota that they could do anything they put their mind to.

"What's so funny?" Mara asked.

Karigan stopped chuckling. "Just Drent's family."

"I agree with you there. All the same yet completely unique." She agreed.

Da da dada, da da dadada da.

"Haha, you missed me." Bob cried out happily. Karigan sat up and threw her pillow. "Missed me missed me now you gotta kiss me."

Bob laughed evilly and ran from the room.

"I think I'm too tired to aim properly." Mara yawned.

"We'll get back at him later." Karigan told her.

"We could take him up on his taunt." Mara's plan got a smile from Karigan.

"It's decided, we're going to kill him with kisses." Karigan announced and the two burst into fits of laughter.

Knock knock.

Mara opened the door and found Bob looking sheepish and was carrying a basket filled with different pastries.

"These are from Drazel." He held the basket out.

Karigan bounced up to the door and Mara took the basket from him.

"Thank you Bob." Karigan said, and then she leaned forward quickly and kissed him on the cheek.

"Thanks." Mara called and kissed his other cheek before closing the door in his face.

The two burst into laughter as they heard Bob cry out in horror.

They sat on one of the beds and stuck into the good basket. The pastries were still warm and crumbled in their hands.

"This is so yum."

Knock knock.

"It's open!" Karigan called and chocked on a bit of cinnamon scroll.

The boys all walked in, already dressed. They sat down on the other bed and stared open mouthed at their basket.

"Where'd you get that?" Willis asked.

"Draze_," Karigan chocked yet again and coughed hard. Fastion slapped her hard on the back and she coughed it up.

"You alright?" He asked.

"Yep," she gasped and took a swig of her water.

Mara was giggling.

"How come he sent you girls breakfast and not us?" Rory frowned.

"He obviously likes us better." Mara replied.

"We better get going." Donald announced.

"Let me finish my cinnamon scroll first." Willis objected.

"You can eat it on the way." Mara told him. "Come on."

"Wait, we need to get changed." Karigan stopped her.

"Right, all you boys out." Mara commanded.

When they reached the river side they found Dakota waiting for them with the Hynmoufs examers.

"Took you long enough to get here." He growled.

"It's not our fault. Drazel sent us a basket of pastries for breakfast." Mara explained.

"He didn't send us any." Macy muttered sadly.

"Nope, but we saved you some." Karigan announced happily and gave them all a Danish each.

"Now, before you all start singing a song, you have work to do." Dakota told them.

"I don't understand this test." Karigan muttered and yawned.

"I think we're meant to learn about tracking or something." Rory muttered.

"But to track something you first need some tracks." Donald pointed out.

"I don't see any of you coming up with suggestions." Rory growled.

"That's because there's no reason to be out here." Willis said angrily.

"Well, tell that to Dakota not to me." Rory snapped.

"Why don't you?" Willis snapped back.

"STOP!" Mara yelled. "This is ridiculous."

"I agree." Karigan told them and stretched out a sore muscle in her back.

The three men muttered apologies.

"We're travelling further and further away from the settlement." Fastion told them and looked up at the sky.

"Where do you recon the others will go? Further away from the settlement or closer?" Karigan asked.

"They'll go where they think we'll go." Willis contributed.

"Or where they think we think they'll go." Donald said.

"Or where they think we think they think we think we'll go." Rory smiled.

"Ahh," Karigan muttered. "I hate mind games."

Fastion chuckled. "And yet you always create so many mind games."

Karigan playfully punched him on the arm.

A SCREAM RIPPED THROUGH THE FOREST

Karigan froze. "Macy! Robert!"

ANOTHER SCREAM! PAIN FILLED!

Without thinking she charged into the surrounding forest, in the direction of the screams. She would not leave her new friends to die.

Everything was quiet and she slowed down.

"Do you guys hear any_," She trailed off. There was no one behind her, no one anywhere and she couldn't hear anything but the wind blowing through the trees.

"Damn, damn, damn, damn, damn."She cried out angrily. She calmed her terrified heart and drew her long sword. Her lips had gone dry and she licked them.

She turned back the way she came and started walking again. Her whole body tensed and adrenalin rushed through her blood stream.

**Disclaimer: **I don't own anything but Macy, Dakota, Drazel, Robert and Bob, anything else you don't recognize the rest belongs to KB!  
**Okay, Karigan is alone and something is out there that made a Black Shield scream! :O update and you might find out what has happened :D **


	19. Chapter 19

**I have to admit, this chapter didn't go where I thought it would :D it just took its own path and made an amazing chapter :D hope you all enjoy it too... forgive any spelling mistakes**

Karigan clutched at her broach. She could hear nothing but her raged breathing. She cursed her stupidity over and over again. How could she have run off into the forest without pausing? And why didn't the others follow her?

She just cursed everything.

She held her broach tightly with her left hand and gripped her long sword comfortably in her right. The familiar shape and smoothness from her broach kept her grounded. It kept her in the moment and it kept her mind alert.

"Karigan!" She jumped as she heard Robert's voice call out to her. She opened her mouth to call back. "Kari, where are you?"

She froze, she didn't understand why but she couldn't answer. Something was wrong. Every fibre in her body buzzed and she didn't call out.

Something crashed through the bushes behind her and she turned, ready to face whatever it was. The forest was empty. She was grabbed from behind, lifted high off the ground. Animalistic grunts came from the creature holding her.

_Groundmites. _

"Are you okay Kari?" Fastion's voice asked, breathing into her ear.

She forced herself to go limp and as the creature readjusted its grip she slammed her head backwards. She sprung from its grip and turned sword up and ready. The path was empty. A terrible howling wail fill the air and she ran.

Groundmites couldn't mimic voices, and they definitely weren't that fast. She thought as she ran wildly through the dense undergrowth.

A black figure detached itself from the bushes and rushed at her. Instinct saved her and her sword managed to block the coming blow. Her opponent's sword swept at her, a move that would have taken even the most skilled warrior's head off but somehow she managed to duck under it. She caught a glimpse at a black band on the sword's hilt.

The hilt slammed into her forehead and she fell back against a tree. Her head started to bleed. There was a lull in the fighting and she stared up at who had attacked her. Karigan thought her eyes were playing tricks on her.

Her attacker was wearing the black uniform of a Black Shield; he held his head high, his expression grim and his stance deadly.

"You're putting aside your instincts to try and work out who your opponent it." He shook his head. "Attack first, ask questions later." Colin Dovekey corrected her.

Her mouth dropped open but she didn't let her defence drop. "What are you doing here? Why did you attack me?"

He shrugged. "A punishment, one so cruel even Saverill's fate seems kind compared to it."

Karigan shook her head. She couldn't fight him, she just couldn't. He had saved her life when he gave her the staff she took into Blackveil. It didn't matter that he had betrayed Zachary and married him to Estora. It didn't matter; he had been her friend.

"I can't kill you."

"You're weak." He snapped. "I'm about to kill you and you need to be able to defend yourself, if you can't defend yourself how can you defend the king?"

"You were my friend. You made a bad choice, that doesn't make me want to kill you." She pleaded.

"It doesn't matter. I will kill you whether or not you used to be a friend." He told her angrily. She noticed him holding his side. He'd be cut and recently.

"Where are the others?"

Colin shook his head. "This is your test."

"How can they force you to fight me?" Karigan frowned and her sword tip lowered.

He pounced. His swipe missing but his elbow crunching into her stomach. He bowled her over and slammed her to the ground. She almost panicked but memories of the mercenary Garroty popped into her mind. She sat up with the help of her hands and broke his nose.

She backwards rolled. They froze staring into the other's eyes like animals.

"I can't control my actions." He told her.

"What?" She felt her stomach contort.

"Don't get on Felix's bad side. He has the power and the _gods _on his side to curse you." Colin told her, disgust plain in his voice.

"I'm going to kill him." She fumed. The thought of forcing someone to do something they didn't want to do was pure torture. Felix was a monster.

"Let's hope you have Westrion on your side then."

"He's always on my side." Her concentration dropped again and he charged at her.

She stepped to the side as his actions became sluggish. Her foot struck out and collided with his back and he fell face first into the dust.

He laid there for a moment and spat out blood and a tooth.

"The others are holding up near the cliff. At least that's what I think." He told her. "Felix isn't happy with you. He changed the conditions of the test and my only goal is to kill you."

Karigan flinched. "Is there a way to free you from this curse?"

He sat back on his heels and looked to her. His body reached over to his sword. "You could kill me. I'd appreciate the release."

She shook her head, but knew she'd do as he asked. He deserved to be free, he deserved some sort of release. She sent out a pray to Westrion, asking him to look after her friend.

Colin bit his hand as it griped his sword. Blood spilled down and dripped to the ground.

Karigan hardened her heart and walked to him.

A bloodcurdling roar ripped through the forest.

"What was that?" She stopped and looked around. Fear filling her heart. "Is it part of the test?"

Colin stoped biting his hand. "That's not part of the test. I don't know what it is."

Something was circling the road. It was circling them and they huddled close, swords out ready to protect them.

"When I say, you run." Colin whispered.

"No, we'll face it together." She objected.

"If we face it, and manage to kill it I'll kill you." Colin told her. "You have to run when I say. Get to the cliff. Meet up with the others."

"You're a good man Colin. You made a horrible choice, a wrong choice, but that doesn't change who you are. You're a good man." Karigan told him.

He managed to smile, blood dribbling down his chin. He looked nothing like the handsome man he used to be. He was nothing but a shell of who he used to be.

"Now be ready to run." He whispered then charged into the bushes. "RUN!" He screamed.

**Disclaimer: **don't own anything that you recognise, unless I do own it. Most belongs to KB!  
**So, did I surprise any of you? Did anyone guess the twist? I left it on another cliffy sorry but everyone loves cliff hangers! :D please review and I'll update soon! **


	20. Chapter 20

**Here comes the next chapter :P I know it has been a long time but a book from one of my favourite series came out and I had to read it. It was soo disastrous, even more painful to me than Blackveil was :(  
But here's the next chapter ENJOY... **

_"You're a good man Colin. You made a horrible choice, a wrong choice, but that doesn't change who you are. You're a good man." Karigan told him. _

_He managed to smile, blood dribbling down his chin. He looked nothing like the handsome man he used to be. He was nothing but a shell of who he used to be. _

_"Now be ready to run." He whispered then charged into the bushes. "RUN!" He screamed. _

Karigan took off. She could hear animalistic growls and howls but didn't stop as she ran full pelt towards where Colin said the others were. Her muscles burned but she kept it up.

She was running for her life. It was as if all the hounds from hell were on her heels.

The forest fell into complete silence again. Nothing moved, nothing called, nothing made any sound. But she kept running.

"Karigan, help me!" Colin's voice called through the undergrowth. "Kari, I've killed it but need help. Help me! Please! I thought you were my FRIEND! Don't leave me! HOW COULD YOU LEAVE ME!?"

Tears trailed down her cheeks. He was dead, Colin would never call out like that and he'd never call her Kari. The only explanation was that he was dead, and that creature was looking for her.

Karigan's head burned and she felt incredibly dizzy. Her heart almost broke from relief as she reached the cliff. She saw a bunch of black figures standing ready by the cliff. Relief flooded through her.

She rushed from the tree line, tears trailing down her cheeks. She fell into Fastion's arms and cried into his chest.

His strong arms wrapped around her and she felt safe for the moment. She composed herself and pulled away from his warm embrace.

"Colin's dead." She gulped and told him.

"Who?" Fastion frowned.

"Colin Dokovey is dead." She explained.

"Serves him right. He betrayed a friend."

She just shook her head.

"What happened? Him dying wouldn't have affected you so." He gently wiped away her tears.

She gulped, breathed deeply and stood back, facing the others.

Robert and Donald stood guard, their swords ready, facing the tree line. Macy and Mara were sitting next to two Hymoph examers. The two injured were unconscious, massive cuts carved into their flesh. Two other hymoph examers were missing. She knew they would be dead. The thought made her sick and she worried deeply about all her friends.

They all looked beaten, battered, exhausted.

"There was a creature. Colin gave his life to save me." Karigan explained. "He was a good man."

"I agree." Robert put his hand on her shoulder and told her.

"We have to get out of here." Rory told them. "Thomas and Philip are seriously injured. They need medical attention, but we can't move them. We need help."

"Someone needs to get back to the island and tell them what happened." Karigan voiced what no one else wanted to.

"It's a suicide mission." Willis muttered.

"So is staying her while the sun has set." Macy told them.

"We need to stick together." Robert interrupted. "We'll set up a perimeter here and tomorrow we'll all go together back. Will Thomas and Philip be ready to move tomorrow?"

Mara shrugged. "If they don't get help they'll die, no matter how much they move."

The group fell into silence. Karigan looked up at the setting sun. The sky had turned blood orange and she shivered. Never had she felt this helplessness. Just sitting, waiting for a whole night, hoping that they'll live through it.

They all walked off then. Willis sat next to Mara. Macy sat near Rory and they washed they friends' burning foreheads.

Karigan walked up to where Robert, Donald and Fastion were standing guard.

"It's gone quiet." She stated.

"The calm before the storm." Robert muttered. He smiled at her though.

"We're unlikely to live through the night." She told him. Her grip on her sword tightened in agitation. "I'm not ready to meet those damn gods."

He chuckled. "You don't give them much credit."

"They're just too interfering." She told him. "Especially Westrion, and Salvyster."

He laughed, deep and throatily. "Let's hope they're watching over us tonight."

The sun had completely set and they were flooded in darkness from the shadow of the cliff. No one was prepared to leave camp to cut fire wood, so they were left in darkness.

So far the creature hadn't made a single sound. It was complete silence.

"Fifty men on a dead man's ship, yo ho ho, and a bottle of rum." A rough voice sung from the darkness. Karigan recognised the old sea shanty. "Drink up devils, and down for the rest, a yo ho ho and a bottle of rum."

"What do we do?" Mara whispered.

"Anyone know the next line?" Fastion smiled.

"I'm horrible at singing." Karigan muttered.

"Macy?" The voice called out, changing into one of the missing examer's voice. "Macy? Robert? Help me please? It's getting closer."

Suddenly he screamed and the creature roared, imitating the sounds of battle and fear.

The weapons groaned in pain and hurt. The torture was worse than really pain. Hearing your friends' call your name hearing them scream and call to you while dying. But they were already dead and they had to stay within their circle of hopeful protection.

The sound of nails on a white board sounded behind them and they turned to stare at the cliff face. It had big claw marks ranked across it. Deep furrows.

Fear filled into the Black Shields' hearts. Fear of dead, even though death was honour, they were terrified.

**I know I know, another cliff hanger :D I'll update hopefully soon. I know I said that last time but this time will be different :P please leave a review! **


	21. Chapter 21

**THIS IS THE LAST CHAPTER! :O I'm just as surprised as you are. It's come to my attention that I've been spelling Hynmoufs different every time :P forgive all my spelling mistakes in this one. Please enjoy….. **

The creature roared and something slammed into Karigan, her sword flew from her hand and the ground rushed to meet her. She cried out as her arm was jarred painfully. She heard Thomas scream and jumped to her feet as something bit off the weapon's head.

"Nooo," Macy yelled and ran at the thing. She managed to duck its first strike but its leg slammed her back into the cliff face.

All the other weapons attacked but none could prevail. They were taken out almost just as effectively. Karigan cursed.

She reached for her broach and disappeared completely. The world went dark and grey but she saw what was attacking them clearly and in perfect colour.

It was a man. He was tall, not unnaturally tall though. He had shoulder length hair and wore loose garbs. His head snapped towards her. His eyes were empty, pale orbs in his head. He tilted it back and howled up at the night sky.

It didn't matter what the man once was, but now it was a creature of darkness that needed to be killed. Karigan rushed at it.

She could dodge easily now she could see it, but it could see her too. It slashed as fast as it could but she ducked and rolled. She came up but was too slow and fell back as blood soaked through her uniform. It had swiped her right across the belly.

She gasped and fell to her knees but didn't drop her sword.

The man tilted its head and looked at her curiously.

Robert darted behind him and jumped high. His sword flashed and the creature's head rolled away. Karigan looked at it. Her ability dropped and she stared at the disfigured, grey skinned animal head that lay at her knees. The body was long, long limbs, long face, long hair.

She must have been delusional. She had thought she saw Robert with wings, and his sword flashing with dark lightening, dark power.

Karigan gasped painfully. Robert held her softly as darkness crept into her vision. She could feel coldness spreading and she thought sadly about her family and friends.

"I'm dying." She gasped, tears leaking out of her eyes.

"No, Westrion will always watch over you." Robert told her. "You won't die so easily, not on my watch."

Darkness filled her vision and she was no longer conscious of anything.

"I spy with my little eye, something beginning with C." Macy announced.

"Condor." Karigan answered immediately.

"Damn," Macy cursed, "I thought that was a perfect one."

"Anything to do with Condor and I'll get it." Karigan affectionately leaned forward and patted him on the neck.

"I was trying to pick something you wouldn't guess." Macy sighed.

"Why didn't you pick something obvious? Like tree." Rory suggested.

"Well, Mara wouldn't have gotten that." Macy joked and Mara frowned. "I still can't believe you picked her over me Willis."

The group laughed and Willis gave Mara a quick peck on the cheek. Jokes had started flying around ever since they had made it back to the village and he had pulled her into a massive passionate kiss in the middle of the crowd of weapons.

Everyone had run out, wondering what had happened during the secondary examinations. Felix was one of the first ones there. He had looked extremely disappointed when he saw Karigan wasn't dead, but not for long. She'd charged through the crowd, one arm holding her stomach and the other raised to punch him very hard in the face.

The group fell into silence. They had reached a fork the road. One lead to Sacor City and the other to the Granite Hynmoufs. Here they would be parting company.

"You'll have to come and see us sometimes. When you girls have finished your final exams." Macy told them. "They're beautifully."

"You'll love it, unless you're allergic to dust like me." Robert muttered.

The girls giggled.

They said their goodbyes and hugged each other.

"If you ever get bored with Willis," Robert told Mara, "you know where I am." He winked and she giggled.

Karigan gave him a hug. "What's wrong, I'm not pretty enough for you?" She joked.

Robert smiled slyly. "I know better than to cross Fastion."

Karigan blushed and quickly looked away. The group smiled and waved good bye and soon they were out of each other's sight.

"So what was the creature?" Captain Mapstone asked with wide eyes.

"Turns out the thing was a Wendigo." Mara told her. "A creature that feasts on the flesh of humans."

"Apparently Mornhavon experimented on people and that's what happened." Karigan commented.

"I'm glad you're back safe and sound." Mapstone told them earnestly. "Now, you girls better change back into your uniform. You already intimidate the other riders as it is."

"Your guard is dropping." Fastion told her as they circled each other.

Karigan corrected and came at him again. He ducked, kicked out and she jumped back again. She wiped the sweat from her forehead and he brushed his fringe out of his eyes. It was boiling hot but they continued their on-slaughter, both trying to beat the other.

Finally they both collapsed in bursts of laughter. They walked over to the little bit of shade and sat down heavily. They drunk deeply from their water skins.

"Have you put in to get your shifts next week covered?" Fastion asked.

"Yeah, Brenne is taking mine." She told him and rested her head on his shoulder.

"Believe it or not but Kingston is taking mine." He told her.

"Really? Wow."

"Come on," He got up, smiled down at her. He pulled her to her feet and kissed her passionately on the lips. "Don't let your guard drop or you'll die in a fight."

"I know," She rolled her eyes and lifted her blade, the black band clearly visible on the long sword.

The two Black Shields faced each other and attacked as one, their movements blurred as they whipped around in the deadly dance of blades.

**Disclaimer: **Anything you've recognized in this story belongs to KB :D  
**And the story is over :( please review all you lovely people who have stuck with this story and given me your support :P **

**THE END! Louisiana out :D **


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